FIRST LOOK: Norris to debut McLaren’s substantial F1 upgrade in Austria
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This weekend at the Red Bull Ring will see McLaren introduce the first phase of its substantial upgrade.The Woking outfit is expected to bring more parts to the subsequent European rounds.Teammate Oscar Piastri will run the package at next weekend’s British Grand Prix.During the Canada weekend, McLaren revealed they plan to change the entire car as they look to bounce back from a stuttering first eight race of F1 2023.Norris will run with revised sidepods in Austria, with the full list of upgrades set to be revealed by the FIA on Friday morning.Here are some images from the pit lane on Thursday:
Speaking ahead of the weekend, Norris told Sky: “The team have done a good job. We weren’t meant to have these bits here originally, it was only meant to be for Silverstone. “So it’s good we have pushed through as many things as we could, especially with it being a Sprint Race – two races to potentially score points.“So it’s the first upgrade that’s really meant to bring performance and make us go quicker. It’s been a difficult start and I’m hoping it will be the thing that allows us to score points more easily.”Norris has performed spectacularly in Austria over the years, scoring his first F1 podium in 2020.
He nearly beat Max Verstappen to pole in 2021, before finishing on the podium again that year.”I think it has been my most successful track, or Imola, but I prefer this circuit. I have always enjoyed this circuit since I won here in 2015 with Formula 4,” he added.Related ‘No deadlines’ for Leclerc as new Ferrari contract talks start ‘slowly’ Hamilton: Cost cap penalty ‘didn’t cost Red Bull anything’, ‘it was so small’”It’s one we have done well at as a team, one that has suited our car a bit more. Maybe not so much last year, but the years before that.”I got my first F1 podium here in 2020, so one I will remember and enjoy. It’s good for Qualifying and the races, so normally an exciting weekend.”It’s challenging because it’s a sprint – one Practice going straight into Qualifying, which I like. It’s a good challenge for us as drivers and the engineers.”
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