Norris confident: “We’re behind in development, but Austria is one of McLaren’s best circuits”
The Austrian Grand Prix represents an important test for McLaren. After securing a podium finish in Barcelona—with more than a little help from circumstances—Lando Norris arrives at the Red Bull Ring feeling optimistic, while also recognising that the Woking-based team has not yet closed the gap to the front-runners.
“It’s always been a circuit I’ve enjoyed, where I’ve performed well and achieved good results,” Norris explained. “We had a strong race here last year and I want us to perform well again as a team. We believe this could be one of the circuits that best suits our car.”
At the same time, however, the British driver pointed out that the Red Bull Ring also features characteristics that could expose some of the MCL40’s weaknesses. “There are some very slow corners where, as we saw in Monaco, we’re not competitive. But there are also some very high-speed corners, which is another area where we’re not the strongest. We think we can get the car into the right operating window, but it’s difficult to know before we get out on track.”
Norris admitted that he has accepted this season requires a completely different mindset compared to last year’s championship-winning campaign. “I’d love to win more races because it’s the best feeling in the world. But I accepted very early on that we weren’t going to win straight away. You have to reset your goals. A victory today means asking yourself whether you extracted the maximum from every single session.”
With that perspective in mind, his third-place finish in Barcelona felt particularly rewarding. “That podium felt like a victory. I drove at my absolute limit throughout the entire weekend and we achieved the best result that was realistically possible. Until we’re able to fight for victories again, we have to focus on maximising every opportunity.”
McLaren to test its new “reverse” rear wing
McLaren will also introduce one of the most anticipated elements of its latest development package in Austria: a new rear wing inspired by concepts already adopted by Ferrari and Red Bull. Lando Norris will evaluate the component during Friday’s free practice sessions, while Oscar Piastri will receive Mercedes’ updated battery package, designed to solve the reliability problems experienced earlier in the season.
Despite the excitement surrounding the new rear wing, Norris was quick to play down expectations. “It’s just a test item. I don’t even think we’ll use it in the race this weekend. We need to verify that it works, and it will probably take a few more races before it’s introduced permanently.”
Speaking specifically about the new “reverse” rear wing, Norris openly admitted that McLaren is paying the price for falling behind in the development race. “It was surprising to see Ferrari already using it at the beginning of the season. It’s incredible what engineers can achieve when they really understand the regulations and the grey areas. That’s what makes Formula 1 so special.”
He then summed up McLaren’s current situation with a revealing remark. “I wish we’d had it three months ago. When I say we’re three months behind in development, that’s exactly the kind of thing I’m talking about.”
According to Norris, however, the MCL40’s issues extend well beyond individual upgrades. “There are certain characteristics of this car that I haven’t liked since I first joined McLaren. I’d prefer it to behave differently, but my job is to adapt to the car I’m given.”
The British driver refused to make excuses, pointing instead to the team’s achievements despite those limitations. “We’ve won two Constructors’ Championships and I’ve won the Drivers’ World Championship while dealing with these characteristics. The truth is simple: we’re lacking aerodynamic downforce, we’re lacking grip. We’re still not at the same level as our competitors.”
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