Lando Norris was blunt and downbeat post the F1 Canadian GP after a difficult result for McLaren in a straightforward race.
For Norris and McLaren, it has been a mediocre season so far. For the Brit, he has had six points scoring races in the opening nine Grands Prix. When you compare it to 2021, the points in the opening nine races, including three podiums, it’s a different ball game.
It is a possible case scenario of really they don’t know what to expect when the car takes to the track. “Just the car’s not good enough,” said Norris to media. “At times it’s strong. I thought…I was a little bit more optimistic after Friday in Canada and we could achieve more on Sunday.
“But when I was stuck behind the Williams they’re so fast, probably the quickest in the straights and we’re probably the slowest in the straights, and then it’s literally impossible to overtake so we can’t do anything,” summed up Norris.
In short, this season’s McLaren is not at its full potential and weekends like Canada just last week kind of cloud where there is right now. “I mean, I think it’s quite simple,” continued Norris. “It’s just not, it’s not anywhere where we want it. And a day like Sunday is probably a good thing, that it shows we’re just a long way off.
“And we have to keep working very hard to keep trying a lot of different things. Because, yeah, maybe at times things look great. But it’s never really like genuine pace, we’re a little bit there on luck sometimes. And a day like om Canada when it’s just more simple and you don’t have luck on your side, it shows where we’re actually at,” summed up Norris.
A difficult start to the season in Bahrain was followed by a bright result result in Saudi Arabia. However, when Norris spoke with media back then, he did advise that the team did not change anything on the car at all. One could deem from that it is possible track specific but he advises that it is not.
However, there is an air of despondency about the young Brit, experienced that he is, he does feel that the season is all but over and that the home Grand Prix at Silverstone will be a challenge for the Woking out. As it is, McLaren are in a battle for fourth in the constructors’ championship against predominantly Alpine and Alfa Romeo.
But last season, they battled with Ferrari for third pretty much throughout the season. However, it is a different ball game this year and they are a long way off third placed Mercedes as things stand. McLaren in 2022 may be damage limitation but they can’t be written off for the future.
Here’s Jehan Daruvala testing for McLaren