The McLaren driver, Lando Norris, has expressed his disappointment after his team’s shortcomings during the sprint race of the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. Performance issues at low speeds prevented the British outfit from fighting for victory.
McLaren arrived at the circuit with a new update package focused primarily on the rear of the vehicle, including a new rear wing. Despite the advantages observed during the first phase of the weekend, expectations quickly fell when Norris found himself overtaken in the race.
Saturday’s proceedings began with good expectations, as Norris and his teammate, Oscar Piastri, competed for the top positions. However, as the race progressed, poor management of the rear tires was a decisive factor. This situation left Norris defending against an attack from Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who managed to pass him around lap 18.
McLaren has acknowledged that tire degradation and performance at low speed are closely linked. The team’s director, Andrea Stella, admitted they expected a smaller deficit in these areas. “Our profitability is worse in long conditions than in individual laps, and we need to analyze it to improve,” Stella commented.
Norris also expressed frustration with his car’s performance in slow corners, stating that “we don’t have the necessary pace, especially in these circumstances.” He referenced the good results in Budapest but indicated that Zandvoort, with its very slow corners, did not provide the same opportunities.
Piastri, for his part, was surprised by the limited performance of his car during the second half of the race, and he hopes to qualify better next time.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
