“Not at the Same Level”: Zak Brown & Co. Slapped With a Brutal Reality Check as Lando Norris Exposes Crucial Weakness

There’s something about the Red Bull Ring in Austria that just clicks with Lando Norris. Not once in his six outings at the track has he finished outside the points, four of which he’s finished in the top five, including two podiums. And surprisingly enough, one of the top-five finishes came this year when the Brit crossed the line in P5 but was promoted to P4 when Carlos Sainz, ahead of him, received a post-race penalty for exceeding track limits. Considering McLaren’s lousy form this season, how did Norris pull off this result?

After the Canadian GP, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella announced an overhaul of upgrades the team would bring from the Austrian GP to the Hungarian GP. The first round of them at Spielberg, combined with Norris’ form at the Red Bull Ring, helped him achieve his best result of the season. And with another set of upgrades added at Silverstone this weekend, McLaren would have hoped its momentum would continue. But Norris was quick to set expectations straight.

Lando Norris thinks the MCL60 isn’t as good as it was in Austria

After the new upgrades to the MCL60 in Austria, the car went from competing at the back of the midfield to almost at the front of the field, Norris’ main competitors being Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. The upgraded MCL60 was probably the third-quickest car on the grid, and Lando maximized its potential. Seeing its performance in Austria, the Woking outfit was hoping it would do well even at its home race, but that wasn’t the case after Friday’s running.

The McLarens finished in P8 and P10 in FP1 (Norris ahead of Piastri) and P9 and P14 in FP2 (Piastri ahead of Norris). While talking to the media after his outing, Norris said, “We’re probably not at the same level as we were in Austria, but we know we can get more out of the car.” According to the data collected, McLaren’s one-lap pace isn’t great, which was confusing, considering qualifying has been its strength this season. But like its race pace in Austria, it’s the third-fastest in race trim, which will give the team hope.

Read More: Zak Brown Exposes Red Bull’s Healed Wounds as McLaren Comes Under the Scanner Following Lando Norris’ Heroics in Austria

Even though Norris said the MCL60 isn’t as good as it was at the Red Bull Ring, the new upgrades have shown signs of overall improvement compared to where it was at the start of the season. Given that it’s only the 10th race of the season, there’s still a long way to go. Either way, Lando is excited to race at his home GP.

Lando Norris loves the atmosphere in Silverstone

According to F1 drivers, one of the best feelings about racing in F1 is the opportunity to race in their home country. And the British GP is home to Lando Norris. While talking about the atmosphere in Silverstone, as quoted by f1.com, he said, “It’s an amazing experience to see so many people supporting you, and I get a lot out of it. There’s no downside to that unless you count muscle cramp from smiling so much – and there’s worse things to suffer from than that.”

There’s no doubt the grandstands will be packed with Norris, Hamilton, and George Russell supporters, cheering their home heroes on. He revealed, “Each year, my first out-lap of the weekend, I spend looking at the grandstands. It might mean I’m a little slower than the team would like with the tire warm-up, but it’s worth it. Every corner has a full grandstand: if people wave, I’ll wave back – and I’m definitely going to be searching for Norris flags!”

How do you think Lando Norris and McLaren will fare at the British GP?

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