Lando Norris insists McLaren “needs more to challenge Ferrari and Red Bull” after Miami GP triumph

Lando Norris believes McLaren are third in the pecking order and need more performance to challenge Red Bull Racing and Ferrari. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda in Imola, the British driver downplayed the car performance in Miami and attributed it to strategy and safety car.

Starting fifth on the grid, Lando Norris drove a phenomenal race to clinch a victory and finish seven seconds ahead of reigning champion Max Verstappen. His MCL38 was heavily upgraded for the race weekend in Florida, while his teammate Oscar Piastri had received half the upgrades.

The Briton’s race was also aided by a smart over-cut strategy, which would have helped him challenge the Red Bull for a win. However, the Dutchman hitting a cone on the track brought out the first safety car and dropped him back in the race, making the job easier for Lando Norris. In Imola, he expects them to be better suited to the track.

Speaking about the progress made in Miami at the driver’s press conference, Lando Norris said:

“Yeah, we were quickest at the time on track and I think the whole weekend was turning into something good and we were showing that the car made some good steps forward. But we need more. if we're going to challenge Ferrari more consistently, we're going to challenge Red Bull more consistently, but the team are doing a great job. They made some good steps and we have more things hopefully coming in the future and those are what we need to be there more often.”

Asked about where McLaren were in the pecking order, Norris said:

“We're third.”

Explaining their expectations from the weekend in Imola, Norris said:

“I think we are just better suited to Imola, potentially the upgrade a little bit as well. Imola has generally been one of our most successful tracks as a team and for me as a driver, so I would like to say so. I think we've definitely taken a step forward. From what I know, other teams have upgrades too, so I don't think we're getting ahead of ourselves. I know I've put good confidence forward to the team. I've said that we're confident we can take steps forward. But I think I made it clear that we're not going to be there every weekend. I was still sixth at the time, and I'm always honest. I'm happily going to say that I was lucky last weekend with the Safety Car, and the strategy worked out perfectly.”

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Lando Norris reckons McLaren has the best rate of development on the grid

Lando Norris believes that McLaren have the best rate of development compared to other teams on the grid. He felt that their rapid rate of development with their car could put them in a position to challenge titles for the future.

The 24-year-old felt he was not used to fighting for positions under pressure in his tenure in the sport, particularly against the big teams. So battling Max Verstappen and the Ferraris was something he looked forward to in the future.

Explaining the improvements McLaren have made recently and his expectations in the future, Norris said:

“With the progress we're making, with the developments that we've had, there's no reason to say no. But I do know it's a whole other task to do it consistently, to do it every weekend. And when you are there, to deliver under pressure every time and qualifying in races, to battle for these positions more than what I have done, that's still something I look forward to, racing against Max a bit more and racing against the Ferraris a bit more and that kind of thing, which is something we've not done. I've not done a huge amount over the last few years.”

“So, yeah, like I'm not overconfident. I'm not underconfident. I feel like I'm at a good balance of accepting where we are. And I still think we're the third best team at the minute, but that could change if we have another good weekend here. And I'm confident with how the team are doing with our rate of development, which is better than any other team on the grid, that by next year we can challenge a lot more often for wins. In the big picture, hopefully, a challenge for a title.”

The Imola circuit has always suited the McLaren and could reflect their position in the pecking order more clearly since Miami was a different circuit with different weather and track surface.

The sprint weekend format did not reflect the full potential of their upgrades either. Oscar Piastri is supposed to get the whole upgrade this weekend, which be a good reference to understand their progress.

Currently, the Papaya Orange squad are third in the constructors championship with a total tally of 127 points. Lando Norris is fourth in the driver's standings and has the same points tally as Carlos Sainz, 83.