Lando Norris Sounds Warning Alarms as Battle With Fernando Alonso Exposes McLaren’s Handicap

In the hustle and bustle of the Formula 1 paddock, young Lando Norris is often the cool and calm British lad with infectious energy. But ahead of the US Grand Prix, Norris’s usual optimistic demeanor took a slight shift. Is McLaren about to hit a speed bump at the Circuit of The Americas? Norris seems to think so.

As the young Brit gears up for his 100th F1 start, he reflects on the journey so far and McLaren’s prospects in Texas. And from the sounds of it, Austin might just test McLaren’s mettle to its limits. “Not so confident,” admitted Norris, highlighting the challenges the Circuit of The Americas could pose for McLaren.

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He elaborated, “Just a lot more slow-speed corners, which is not our strength. I think it’s tough when you look at Singapore.” Since the major upgrade back in Austria, McLaren has been on fire. Norris has clinched five podiums in nine races – a testament to his skill and the team’s engineering marvel. However, Norris’s words ring with caution as he preps for Texas, “Obviously we were not bad in Singapore, not as strong as Ferrari, but still not a bad race. But we know on these types of circuits, Mercedes are going to be very strong, Ferrari are going to be very strong, Aston here in the past have been very strong.“

It’s a game of strengths and weaknesses, and Norris was candid about where McLaren shines, “It’s just not a track… like we knew when we went to Qatar it was going to be a track that really suited us, a lot of medium-high speed, which is where we are very strong and almost on par with Red Bull.”

When probed about his best race, Norris chuckled, “I don’t know what would be my best race… Silverstone probably being one of the biggest highlights of it all, being my home race, a lot of good ones, but ones I’m still trying to override by getting that first win.”

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As you know already, the Qatar Grand Prix was quite the roller coaster, wasn’t it? And no one felt those dizzying ups and downs more than our boy, Lando Norris. Probably that’s why…

Nico Rosberg is worried for Lando Norris

Now, we’ve seen Norris show off some serious skills on the track before, but the rise of rookie Piastri has provided a challenge unlike any he’s faced. The new kid on the McLaren block isn’t just here to play; he’s here to win. Poor Norris, already feeling the weight of the race, was pushed further into the limelight when he faced the press, visibly emotional.

Enter stage left: Nico Rosberg. The 2016 F1 champ recently sat down with Sky Sports and voiced his concerns over Norris’s very public breakdown. “Lando always says it himself, how he has sometimes challenges with mental health, and I saw some signs unfolding again this weekend,” remarked Rosberg.

But in true Formula 1 family fashion, Rosberg isn’t just voicing concerns; he’s offering a helping hand. Drawing on his understanding of psychology, the German superstar hopes to provide Norris with some much-needed support.

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So, here’s to hoping Norris finds his groove again. Even the 23-year-old knows it’s not about how many times you get knocked down; it’s about how many times you get back up.