Lando Norris isn’t getting carried away with enthusiasm: the British driver isn’t completely satisfied with his McLaren MCL39.
For the first time in his career, Lando Norris faces the media as the leader of the Formula 1 World Championship. A milestone achieved after years of struggles for McLaren: the Woking-based team now seems to be the one to beat. However, Norris doesn’t entirely agree—or at least, he’s keeping expectations in check when it comes to the MCL39.
Norris: “The car doesn’t suit me, but it needs to be made faster”
Despite a strong start to the season, Norris has revealed an unexpected detail: the McLaren doesn’t fit his driving style. “The car is doing reasonably well, but it’s still difficult to drive,” he admitted. “In certain conditions, like in the wet, Verstappen was just as fast as us. We need to make it more predictable and comfortable.”
The Brit seems to have come to terms with the situation: “I’ve accepted that you can’t have a car that perfectly suits your driving style. Maybe it works better for others. I’ve stopped asking for too much and I’m just focusing on whatever makes it faster.”
On the FIA’s new rules: “It doesn’t affect us, but maybe we should push harder”
Norris also addressed the FIA’s latest technical directive aimed at limiting wing flexibility. A rule that, according to him, won’t impact McLaren—despite recent speculation. “We don’t need to change anything; our wing is fine,” he assured.
“In fact, it’s probably too good, and maybe we’re not pushing the limits enough. If the directive had already been in place last race, it wouldn’t have changed anything for us. It’s not targeting us but other teams, which means we might need to be a bit more aggressive.”
Now, all eyes turn to China for the second chapter of a season that, for now, is painted in Papaya.
Photo: McLaren
