Norris admits to continue learning to driver the new regulation F1 cars
After a very difficult start to the season, McLaren managed to turn things around and finish fourth in the constructors' championship. Lando Norris secured seven out of nine podium finishes for his team, but the British driver is still adapting to his car and changing his driving style.
McLaren’s season got off to a very rough start, before the British team made a comeback starting from the British Grand Prix. When the season began on March 5th in Bahrain, Oscar Piastri did not finish the race and Lando Norris finished 17th, two laps behind the winner Max Verstappen.
The team had to wait for the Australian Grand Prix on April 2nd to score its first 12 points of the season, with Norris finishing sixth and Piastri finishing eighth. In the first nine races, McLaren only scored 29 points and is currently sixth in the constructor standings.
But starting from Silverstone, the updates brought by the team are working. Lando Norris secures the team’s first podium of the season and Oscar Piastri finishes fourth. McLaren also overtakes Alpine in the constructor’s standings.
Since this result, the papayas have achieved eight additional podium finishes, six more with the British driver and two with the Australian rookie. Piastri even went on to win the sprint race in Qatar on October 7th.
« I want to drive fast, contrary to how this car wants to be driven »
McLaren finally finished the season with 302 points, 205 thanks to Norris and 97 with Piastri, and secured fourth place in the constructor’s standings. The No. 4 had a better season than his teammate, but according to him, he is still not completely comfortable in the MCL60.
« I have worked a lot to try to adapt to this car, because it is not an easy car to drive. I may have spent the first part of the season not in the right space and the way I quickly want to drive is opposite to the way this car wants to be driven », he explains.
« My natural thing of going out and pushing the limits in qualifying is not the way the car should be driven, so I still have to adjust my driving style a little. This is still the case this year, but halfway through the season, I felt more confident. I feel like I have maximized the performance of the car, especially in terms of racing. I just made a few too many mistakes in qualifying, which I think was evident, but I had some of the best races I have ever had », the McLaren driver continues.
(D) Over the past six or seven races, I’ve had six P2 finishes and they were all behind Max. Brazil was one of my best races. In terms of the gap to everyone else, we only had one car in front. Mexico was a very good race. So I definitely performed at my best level (F), the British driver rejoices.
