Norris believes that Australia is the team’s “best weekend”
After a very difficult start to the season for McLaren, Lando Norris did not hide his satisfaction for what he considers to be the team's most successful weekend of the season so far, with a double finish in the top 10 at the Australian Grand Prix.
In a race marred by numerous incidents, safety car and red flag, Lando Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri managed to climb from 13th and 16th positions on the starting grid to a double points finish for the Woking team.
A stellar performance, which McLaren truly needed after two initial races in 2023 without any top 10 finishes.
“It’s definitely our best weekend so far,” highlights Lando Norris.
« All my comments and feelings [after the qualifications] meant that I didn’t have too much hope, but actually, since the first round, the pace compared to some cars around us – like the AlphaTauri, like the Haas – was a bit closer. »
« I felt a little faster, so I could race against them, I could truly have fun, attack and have some racing action, so it was a good day. P6, those are reasonable points for us, just like Oscar who is also in the points at the same time. »
« We stayed away from the problems, which was the biggest challenge today, that is to say, avoiding people who were blocking and causing chaos, so I am happy; the team did a good job, and we deserved it.
Baku, the confirmation?
With twelve points accumulated during the Australian leg, McLaren is now in fifth place in the constructors’ championship. Norris is waiting for the scheduled upgrades for the MCL60, which will be introduced during the next race in Azerbaijan in a month, but he’s not getting carried away.
I don’t want to get too excited because I wouldn’t say that it’s in Baku where it will help us the most with all the low-speed turns, but at the same time it’s a step forward, I hope, estimates the English driver.
The team worked very hard [at the factory] and here [at the circuit] to prepare everything for Baku, so yes, thank you to the team; they did a very good job, they push hard, they work hard, and a day like today shows that it pays off.
