After the Spanish GP, a photo began circulating revealing the trick McLaren used with Lando Norris to gain a few metres on the starting grid.
When people say that Formula 1 is a pursuit of perfection—where even a few metres, if not millimetres, can make the difference—this is exactly what they mean. In Spain, with Lando Norris, McLaren used an interesting trick to try to gain a few metres on the starting grid. So, what is this latest McLaren idea?
Since last season, it has become clear to everyone: one of Lando Norris’s weaknesses is his race starts. On many occasions, the British driver has lost several positions during clutch release. In 2024, ever since he started fighting Max Verstappen, whenever he started from pole position, he never managed to complete the first lap in the lead.
This has created no small amount of trouble for the young Brit, who, bombarded with questions and criticised by many, began to suffer psychologically. This year, the situation seems more or less the same, as clearly seen in the last Grand Prix in Barcelona.
Starting from second place, Lando Norris once again completely botched the start, being overtaken by Max Verstappen. Reaching Turn 1, car number 4 didn’t take any risks, aware of the strength of his car, and regained the position during the race.
In the days following this ninth race of the season, an incredible detail emerged, showing just how much even the smallest elements matter in this sport. The photo clearly shows that the McLaren team had placed a strip of silver tape aligned with Lando Norris’s grid box.
According to journalist Adam Cooper, using that tape as a reference point upon returning to the grid after the formation lap, the driver was able to position himself perfectly within his grid slot, trying to gain a few metres—or perhaps millimetres. Unfortunately, it was all nullified by his terrible start.
We’ll see if Lando Norris continues to use this technique in upcoming races and whether it will be adopted by other teams as well.
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