Since the start of the 2023 season, there have been a lot of variables and surprise performers on the grid. Despite the continuously changing grid, there has been one constant, Max Verstappen. The Red Bull man has won 10 of the first 12 races so far already. No one, apart from his teammate on two occasions, has come close to challenging the Dutchman. Despite that with his newly found superpowers and a $100 million weapon, Lando Norris fired a warning at the Red Bull man.

The Brit, after the upgrades introduced at Silverstone, has secured two P2 finished in three races. The McLaren MCL60 has leaped in front of all the cars on the grid and placed itself behind the RB19. Thanks to the new upgrades and a vastly expensive and new wind tunnel the Woking outfit is confident enough to challenge anyone even the mighty Red Bull. Norris showcased this confidence in his latest interview as quoted by Autosport.

“I think the majority of the time we’ve had an opportunity to be somewhere or achieve something we’ve been able to do it,” he said. “And therefore I’m happy with it. It’s just adjusting to the new reality of it, which I think we’ve done well as a team. It’s easy to get a bit overexcited now we’re fighting for podiums all of a sudden when we haven’t for a long time, and we definitely haven’t consecutively.”

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However, despite the current progress of the team and the new facilities in the McLaren Technology Center, a former Red Bull driver gave McLaren a brutal reality check.

A new weapon will not guarantee Lando Norris and Co.’s success against the mighty Red Bull and Max Verstappen

The autonomy over their processes with the new wind tunnel and separation from Toyota’s wind tunnel is definitely a step forward for McLaren. This is the same reason Aston Martin ended their partnership with Mercedes and brought Honda as their engine supplier, a partnership even Verstappen regrets. However, becoming more independent and updated with new tools doesn’t necessarily guarantee success. Ex-Red Bull man David Coulthard highlighted that with Red Bull’s ancient wind tunnel.

Coulthard remarked, “A lot of teams talk about bringing in new wind tunnels. I think McLaren are saying the new wind tunnel is going to sort all their problems, well, Red Bull use a wind tunnel from the ’60s. So it’s not just how new your wind tunnel is, it’s about how predictable and repeatable the information is that gives them such an aero-efficient car.”

When put into perspective, McLaren’s wind tunnel can even get them off track if the readings aren’t as accurate as the Toyota’s wind tunnel. However, for the Woking outfit’s sake, let’s hope their $100 million investment doesn’t go down the drain.

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