Lando Norris says McLaren is not ‘chasing a perfect car’ with its 2023 Formula 1 upgrades

Zak Brown addresses the speculation surrounding a potential partnership between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen

Lando Norris says McLaren is not ‘chasing a perfect car’ with its 2023 Formula 1 upgrades

Lando Norris

Lando Norris had an impressive weekend, securing a P2 finish at the Singapore GP after qualifying P4. While acknowledging the car’s upgrades, Lando Norris emphasized that McLaren’s recent modifications were aimed at enhancing the car’s performance in slow-speed corners rather than “chasing a perfect car”.

McLaren introduced notable upgrades to Lando Norris’s MCL60 during the Singapore GP, greatly influencing his performance as he secured a P2 finish after closely following Carlos Sainz’s DRS trail. Looking ahead, Oscar Piastri is set to receive similar substantial upgrades to address slow corner speed issues at the Suzuka GP.

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Lando Norris, while acknowledging the recent upgrades, mentioned that they still hadn’t addressed the limitations he had previously highlighted with McLaren’s MCL60. He pointed out the challenges the team faced in Singapore and drew a comparison with Max Verstappen’s recent experiences, suggesting that perhaps Singapore was a tough challenge for teams that have been performing well. He also emphasized that McLaren’s primary focus is on improving their performance.

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“It’s done what we expected, worked as expected,……so I think that’s a very positive thing. There were some things to tweak and little things. I don’t think there’s ever a perfect car,”

“I remember Mercedes being similar here a few years ago with dominating,… Singapore is just the breaking point for everyone that’s doing too well.” Said Lando Norris, as reported by motorsportweek.com

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Zak Brown addresses the speculation surrounding a potential partnership between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen

Speculation surrounding a potential partnership between Norris and Red Bull gained momentum as Norris openly acknowledged his willingness to team up with his friend Max Verstappen in the future. “It’s definitely something I would be open to in the future,”

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen F1
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (Via Getty Images)

Acknowledging the speculation, McLaren CEO Zak Brown claimed that Lando Norris was merely “responding to a question” about his future and the possibility of partnering with Max Verstappen in the same team someday. He also noted that they are good friends and mentioned that any racing driver would naturally consider the idea of racing alongside a strong competitor.

“I think he was just responding to a question he was asked – I think everyone else is stirring it,” “So, I think everyone has picked up a question he has answered and stirred it a little bit and that’s Formula 1. But that’s alright. He’s in a good place.” Said Zak Brown.

Lando Norris is under a firm contract with McLaren, set to last until the end of the 2025 season. This contract extension was signed before the 2022 season, confirming his commitment to McLaren. Additionally, his teammate Oscar Piastri extended his contract with the team until 2026.

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