McLaren, impressions after the first free practice sessions: Norris concerned, Piastri more confident

Different opinions for Norris and Piastri after the first two free practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix

The first day of free practice at the Australian Grand Prix left mixed feelings at McLaren. Despite competitive times – with Norris leading FP1 and the McLaren pair in the spotlight in FP2, with Piastri second and Norris third – the British driver expressed some concerns about the qualifying simulations with low fuel onboard. Piastri, on the other hand, had a different perspective, stating that he was satisfied with the strong pace shown by the MCL39.

The report from Norris and Piastri after the first day of free practice

After the second free practice session, Norris shared his first impressions, expressing some doubts: “I think it’s been a good start to the weekend. We have a good baseline, but I’m not completely satisfied or confident with the car yet, especially when it comes to balance and consistency with low fuel onboard. With high fuel, I felt good, but with low fuel, like in Sakhir, there are still too many inconsistencies and issues “.

For Piastri, however, the situation appears more encouraging. When asked about how the day had gone, the McLaren Australian driver responded: “I think the pace has been pretty solid. There are still a few things to fix to make the car more enjoyable to drive, but the baseline is good. I’m quite satisfied with the work done today“.

When asked about the potential competitors for the win, Piastri had no doubts: “Ferrari looked very fast today, and Mercedes also showed strong performance. Things look positive, but we don’t just want to aim for the podium: we want to fight for the win.”

Photo: McLaren