Norris airs McLaren concern as new season looms

Lando Norris believes McLaren has started off in a good position this year, but still expects them to be behind their main rivals.

Lando Norris expressed his concerns about McLaren still being quite far behind Red Bull and Ferrari after the pre-testing in Bahrain.

Despite showing consistent times throughout the three days, Norris finished 14th on the timesheet on the final day.

He believes that McLaren’s decision to continue with their car concept from last year has put them in a favorable position for this season. However, Norris still anticipates that their main rivals will have a faster start.

“We had a solid car towards the end of last season, and I believe we have made progress in the right direction,” Norris shared with the media, including RacingNews365.

However, I believe we still have a significant gap to close with Red Bull and Ferrari.

Norris: We’re in the best position we’ve been for four years

McLaren had a disappointing start last year when it was disclosed that they had not achieved their pre-season goals. To make matters worse, they were unable to complete two out of the first three races with both of their cars.

However, Norris is optimistic that the team’s preparations for this year will yield positive results in the initial races of the season.

“I am confident that this season, this testing period, and this year, we are finally starting off on the right track,” he expressed. “In the past three to four years, we haven’t been able to achieve this level of readiness.”

We have adopted a more aggressive approach, utilizing a range of strategies, instead of being uncertain about the readiness of the car or feeling like we haven’t fully optimized certain aspects. Our team has entered the season with a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and an overall improved car.

From the very start, I have been filled with excitement, knowing that we are commencing the year from a favorable position. I am eager to witness the transformation we can bring about, considering the successful job we accomplished last year.