Norris: McLaren making clear progress on ‘big weaknesses’

Lando Norris says McLaren has been able to “strengthen” some of its biggest weaknesses over the winter, though he insists its 2019 Formula 1 car is still “not perfect”. 

McLaren finished sixth in the 2018 constructors’ championship as it made improvements in its first season powered by Renault, but a poor car design hampered the team’s performance. 

Norris said the “pretty big” regulation changes introduced for 2019 have made it difficult to carry out a direct comparison, though he is certain McLaren has made progress with its latest challenger – the MCL34  -having completed his pre-season testing programme. 

“Some of the areas where he had a big weakness we’ve strengthened,” Norris explained. 

“I’m not saying it is perfect at all as they are still weaknesses but overall I think we have a better package to begin the season with.

“As it is not perfect, there are still problems, still things we suffer with, but I think we understand them and when we do add things to the car or change them to help the car in a positive way.

“Where we struggled last year, we’ve done better to move forward. In those things the biggest problems we’ve had we’ve been able to move forward in some areas which is the main thing.”

Norris believes he has made a step forward regarding his technical feedback over pre-season, adding it is an area he wants to be able to “utilise” fully over the course of the year. 

“Throughout the race runs and qualifying runs I am making changes without asking or getting recommendations for changes from the engineers,” Norris said.

“But if I haven’t done something that they can see in the data then they recommend it or tell me to do it. 

“From that side of things it comes with experience from situations in terms of tyres. That is something from last week to now I have got much better at. I have understood that a lot more. 

“It takes a lot of time and understanding to be able to maximise this sort of stuff but I think I am at a point where I know when to do it and how it effects it but there are still more things for me to learn to utilise it at full potential.”