Despite having won two consecutive races, Lando Norris has expressed that he does not feel confident about the possibility of contesting the Formula 1 championship in the second half of the season. The McLaren driver currently occupies fourth place with 159 points, far from the 242 points of the leader, Kimi Antonelli.
After his triumph at the Dutch Grand Prix, Norris was clear: “I don’t have the car I need to fight for the championship”. This contrasts with the expectations generated by his recent victories, but he insists that the competition is fierce and that his car is not versatile enough to tackle all circuits effectively.
According to Norris, the McLaren MCL40 performs well in fast corners, but is not equally effective at low speeds, a weakness compared to rivals like Ferrari and Mercedes. “We are very strong at high speeds, but they also have a huge advantage at slow speeds,” he added.
The design policy of McLaren, which aims to reduce weight by increasing wheelbase length, has led to some limitations in aerodynamics, hindering the ability to extract maximum performance from the car. Norris has observed that performance balance can vary significantly depending on the type of tires used, and even in the previous race, he struggled with the degradation of the medium tires.
Despite the limitations, Norris continues to show great adaptability and confidence in his ability to press rivals when the car provides the necessary support. “When I get what I need from the car, I know I can win,” concluded the driver, making clear his determination to fight for improvement until the end of the season.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
