Moments Before P6 US GP Finish, Lando Norris Took Ruthless Jibe at McLaren F1 Performance

McLaren is kind of in a rut right now. Apart from their double top-5 finish in Singapore, the team has struggled to perform this season. Additionally, their contract saga with Daniel Ricciardo as well as the legal battle to sign Oscar Piastri hasn’t helped their cause either. And most recently, Lando Norris took a dig at his own constructors ahead of the main race in Austin.

The US GP did not disappoint as it lived up to its hype. While Max Verstappen’s win was no surprise, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc grabbed impressive podium finishes. Amid all this, Lando Norris drove an extremely remarkable drive to finish P6 in the race. This brought home much-needed points for McLaren in their fight against Alpine in the constructor’s championship.

However, Lando took a shot at his own team before the main race in Austin. Talking to Lawrence Barretto, Lando Norris was spotted enjoying the pre-race parade. He said, “It’s a bit windy out here. I just look forward to having a good race, a fun one.”

He further said, “I mean, I think I have a quicker car here than my actual race car so I’m just gonna enjoy this.”

The car that Norris is referring to was a vintage car, being used for the driver’s parade before the lights-out.

READ MORE: “He Keeps So Strong…”: Lando Norris Shares His Greatest Learning From His Aussie Teammate Daniel Ricciardo

McLaren currently trails Alpine Racing by 6 points. They will be looking to overtake the French constructors with only 3 races remaining in the season.

Lando Norris almost gives his team McLaren an ultimatum

Despite committing his future to McLaren till 2025 earlier this year, Lando fired a stern warning to his Papaya team. Norris has endured a tough season so far with McLaren. Moreover, he explains what he expects of the team in the future.

Norris said, “I believe in us. We’ve reached a point where we have a better understanding of what we need to do. What direction we need to take and how to achieve our goals. We also have a better understanding of why we haven’t taken as many steps forward as we wanted to over the last two years.”

“Is it because of our vehicle philosophy? By design? At the wind tunnel? I hope our new one will help us for 2024 and 2025. I have to have faith that my team can do a good job. [2024] will be our first year in which we have no more excuses.”

McLaren will be hoping to keep hold of Norris who is potentially a championship winner. His talent is sure to attract a lot of suitors in the future.

WATCH THIS STORY: Lando Norris Shows the Finger to his McLaren Machine in a Moment of Frustration

It will be interesting to see if McLaren improves their performances in the final few races of the season. Furthermore, with the battle against Alpine going down to the wire, can Lando Norris inspire the Woking-based team to victory?