The race in Suzuka was a happy outing for the McLaren drivers as they secured a P2 and P3 finish. Only Max Verstappen and his RB19 were faster, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri leading the rest of the grid on the weekend. Despite a successful weekend, Lando Norris believes McLaren isn’t a clear second-fastest team on the grid yet while also warning about the tough challenges ahead via F1: Chequered Flag Podcast.
Starting the season on a terrible note, McLaren brought the first upgrade pack to their car in the British GP. Here, they scored more points in one race (30) than they managed in all the previous races combined (29). In Suzuka, the Woking-based team brought their second major upgrade pack to the car, which instantly shot them up to being the second-fastest team on track. However, there have also been tracks that have suited Ferrari and Mercedes more, which compels Norris to be wary of tough times ahead.
Lando Norris expects tough competition during the final few races of the season
Having secured his fourth podium of the season and his second-consecutive P2 finish, Norris was extremely happy with the pace of his car and his performances over the last two races. Speaking during the post-race interview (as heard in F1: Chequered Flag Podcast), the Briton claimed his team had “relatively good pace compared to Max,” and it was a good sign for the team. However, the 23-year-old does not believe his team is close to the top yet, as there will be some circuits that will benefit their rivals more.
“It just depends on the circuit. I mean, we’re gonna have some races where we’re gonna be slower than Mercedes, slower than Ferrari.”
“Ferrari won last weekend, so it’s not like we’re easily P2. We’ve not made any changes from here to Singapore. And there, we got out qualified by a good amount of cars.”
With his statements, Norris might have suggested that the McLarens are struggling with slow-speed tracks where stronger aero is key. Given the same, the end of the season might be tricky for the Woking-based team as several slow tracks await their arrival.
McLaren looking at a tough challenge in the season’s final races
Throughout the season, McLaren’s biggest weakness has been slow-corner tracks. As the season heads into its final phase, some prominent tracks with slow corners sit in anticipation of McLaren’s arrival. The Circuit of The Americas in Austin and the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico could be the toughest nuts to crack for Norris and Piastri during their tour in October.
However, following the upgrades in Austria, the MCL60 has looked much better in slow corners as well. As such, the team might not have too many problems at the back end of the season. With the latest upgrades fitting in perfectly, Norris believes he can give Verstappen a run for his money as the Briton hopes to topple the Dutchman at least once before the season ends.
