Lando Norris, the talented British driver, believes that McLaren is finally on the right track. After a difficult start to the season, both Norris and the team have seen significant improvements in their performance. Norris is hopeful that McLaren can address some of the limitations that have plagued their cars for the last five years, giving him renewed optimism for the future.

A Difficult Start and a Spectacular Turnaround

Norris and McLaren had a challenging start to the season, struggling to find the right pace and competitiveness. However, things took a turn for the better when McLaren introduced a major upgrade package. The improvements were immediately evident, with Norris finishing second to Max Verstappen at Silverstone and in Hungary.

This turnaround has been nothing short of spectacular for McLaren. The team has shown that they are now in contention for top spots on the grid, challenging the dominance of Red Bull. But can they sustain this performance and continue to push forward?

Improving Understanding and Hope for the Future

In an interview ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris revealed his growing optimism about the team and the car. He believes that McLaren is in a better position now, with a deeper understanding of their car and the people involved. Norris cited the update brought to Austria as the biggest improvement the team has seen in the last five years.

With the upcoming additions to their infrastructure, such as the wind tunnel and simulator, Norris is confident that McLaren will start the next season on a strong footing. He emphasizes the importance of a good start, as McLaren struggled in the early races of this year. Norris expresses hope for the future, envisioning a world where McLaren can consistently challenge for podium finishes and even race victories.

The Journey Ahead: Overcoming Limitations

While the recent improvements are encouraging, Norris acknowledges that there is still work to be done. He points out that the car is still challenging to drive, especially during qualifying laps. McLaren needs to focus on improving the car’s handling, drivability, and performance in slow-speed corners to take the next step.

Norris highlights the importance of making the car easier to drive, while also increasing its performance in slow-speed sections. While outright speed and grip are crucial, a more balanced and agile car would provide a significant advantage. Norris believes that both elements are necessary to truly challenge the top teams in Formula 1.

Summary

Lando Norris and McLaren have seen a significant turnaround in their performance this season. Norris is optimistic about the team’s future, citing improved understanding of the car and infrastructure upgrades. McLaren introduced a major upgrade package, resulting in strong finishes for Norris at Silverstone and Hungary. However, there is still room for improvement, particularly in the car’s handling and performance in slow-speed corners. Norris believes that finding the right balance between speed and drivability is crucial for McLaren’s continued success in Formula 1.

McLaren’s recent resurgence has raised expectations among fans and pundits. The team’s improved performance and competitiveness have sparked discussions about their potential to challenge the dominant forces in Formula 1, such as Mercedes and Red Bull.

While it is indeed an exciting time for McLaren, sustaining this level of performance is not an easy task. The Formula 1 landscape is highly

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Lando Norris believes that McLaren are in a better position when it comes to understanding their car now, giving him “more hope” that the team can address some of the limitations that have plagued their cars for the “last five years”. .

Norris and McLaren had a difficult start to the season, but a major upgrade package taken by the team to Austria and then Silverstone improved results: the Briton finished second to Max Verstappen at Silverstone and Hungary.

BARRETTO: McLaren’s turnaround has been spectacular, but can they now move on to challenge Red Bull?

And speaking to the media ahead of the Hungarian GP last month, Norris revealed that his improvements and the work he has seen from the team at the factory make him more optimistic about the car he will drive next season.

“I guess we’ve said it a few times before, I feel like we’re in a better position than before with our understanding of, you know, the people that we have, our areas of focus,” Norris explained.

“The update we brought to Austria is the biggest update McLaren has brought as a team in the last five years. In terms of having a car, improving it, it’s the biggest improvement we’ve had in my five years of being at McLaren, that’s a given.

“And even before that, until they had the B-Car in 2012 or something like that, when they had other problems and things like that.

“So it’s the first time we’ve been able to bring an update that has taken us a big step forward, so I’m more hopeful than I have been in recent years.

“Also, with what I know we’re doing right now, with the wind tunnel on the way, the simulator on the way, the people coming, the structure that we have now, I definitely think we’re at the strongest point for at least start the season on the right foot, which we haven’t done yet.

BEYOND THE GRID: Lando Norris on driving McLaren’s renaissance and the responsibility of being the team’s senior driver

“Maybe we did a little more in 2020, but this year we haven’t. That’s what we said, and imagine if we had started a bit like in Austria at the beginning of the year and then we could have taken steps forward. It would be a different world for us, so I’m hopeful for 2024.”

With McLaren proving they are now in contention for the top spots on the grid, Norris was asked what further progress would feel like for him. He replied: “For me at the moment, even with this update that we have had, the driving performance of the car, the handling has not improved.

“It’s hard to drive, it’s hard to run qualifying laps. In essence, that is to say it’s a little bit easier because, given a mistake, we’re higher up than we’ve been the last few weekends.

“And in the high-speed corners it’s harder to make a mistake because the car has been better. But for me, and where we’ve been for the last five years, we’ve obviously made the car quickly.

FULL TRANSCRIPT: Read every word of Lando Norris’ Beyond The Grid podcast interview

“I don’t want to get too far ahead… but we still have, in the last five years, to take that step in slow speed, handling, drivability, not taking into account load and outright grip, let’s say.

“So for me, a bigger step would be in the way we drive the car, how easy the car is to drive, then add ten more charging points in slow speed, because that will only take us so far. the order, I prefer to have both.”

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