F1 News: Lando Norris - "Red Bull Will Probably Be Dominant This Weekend "

Lando Norris expresses guarded optimism about McLaren's upgrades but concedes they are not yet on par with Red Bull or Mercedes.

Lando Norris has discussed the performance of McLaren's MCL60 ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, while also sharing insights on the competitive landscape of the current grid. Though hopeful about the upgrades, Norris managed expectations, admitting "I don't think we're confident in saying we’re as quick as Red Bull."

Key Takeaways

• Lando Norris expressed cautious optimism about the recent upgrades to McLaren's car, noting that they took "some steps forward." However, he wasn't confident that McLaren could match the pace of Red Bull in the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.
• When assessing the team's competitiveness, Norris believes Mercedes has been the "second-best car this season," followed by Ferrari and then McLaren. He acknowledged that McLaren's performance still fluctuates quite a bit.
• Norris anticipates Red Bull to be "dominant" in the Japanese Grand Prix, considering it "pretty much a guarantee" that they will bounce back.

Red Bull Press Image

Ahead of the highly anticipated Japanese Grand Prix, McLaren's Lando Norris delved into the team's competitiveness, upgrades, and the overall landscape of the 2023 Formula 1 season. Norris took a measured stance when discussing the efficacy of recent upgrades to the McLaren car, which were introduced in Singapore last weekend.

Answering a question about the upgraded car's strength, Norris said:

"Yes. It's tough to say. I don't know. I want to believe so. I think everything did it was what it was meant to do. And I think we definitely took some steps forward.

"I don't think we're confident in saying we’re as quick as Red Bull. I think Red Bull will probably be dominant this weekend.

"But I think comparing us to Ferrari and Mercedes then Mercedes have been just a lot more consistent than what we have. We still fluctuate quite a bit.

"On a good weekend we can be very, very good and maybe a little bit ahead, like we've seen in Silverstone and things like that. But on the whole Mercedes have probably been the second-best car this season, then Ferrari and then then us so far.

"We're getting there. It's still a very different circuit to Singapore with these upgrades. So there's all things for us to find out and analyse from Suzuka."

His candid assessment paints a picture of a McLaren team that's very much in a state of flux, making progress but not yet consistent enough to reliably challenge the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull.

Further, when queried about Red Bull's performance, Norris expressed a firm belief that the Milton Keynes team will be back on top this weekend:

"Pretty much a guarantee." 

While Norris acknowledges that McLaren has made progress, it's clear that he still sees them as underdogs. How these variables will play out on the Japanese track remains to be seen, but the stage is set for an enthralling race.