Norris has called for modifications to McLaren F1

According to Lando Norris, he has been urging McLaren to shift its approach from striving to construct the fastest Formula 1 car in theory, to addressing fundamental issues that have plagued various car designs, regardless of the regulations in place.

In 2022, Lando Norris finished seventh in the driver’s championship, securing the title of “best of the rest” behind the Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes drivers. Despite this achievement, both he and his teammate Daniel Ricciardo expressed dissatisfaction with the MCL36 car.

The vehicle faced stability issues during corner entry and mid-corner understeer, making it difficult for Norris to drive the way he desired. In an interview with F1Lead, Norris mentioned that at times he had to “learn every single corner how to drive the car in a different way.” Ricciardo also pointed out that finding solutions to the issues they faced with the car was challenging.

When asked by F1Lead during McLaren’s season launch about the progress made in addressing the car’s issues, Norris stated that the pre-season test in Bahrain would provide the best indication.

He mentioned that there has been a greater effort, particularly from his side, to not only build the fastest car, but to make changes to more fundamental aspects in order to make bigger strides forward.

Norris went on to say that there are certain areas that the team has struggled with for the past three to four years, and that he has been advocating for changes to address these recurring issues.

He stated that he pushed hard last season to bring about change and address these persistent problems, which have been present in multiple cars over the years, but that the team has been unable to fully understand or change.

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Norris believes that McLaren could benefit from finding a balance between striving for the fastest car and creating a car with consistent characteristics.

He wants the team to address these persistent issues and improve the driving experience, rather than just focusing on speed. He has seen some positive changes in the simulators, but he believes that the real test will come during the pre-season test in Bahrain.

The 2023 season will mark Norris’ first as a primary team leader, as he will be paired with rookie Oscar Piastri.

Norris stated that pushing for McLaren to change its design philosophy has required a slight adjustment in the way he approaches things and expresses his opinions.

However, he doesn’t feel that much has changed from last season, as he already had a good understanding of the car and was able to get more out of it than Ricciardo at times. He believes that this gave him the ability to ask for more and better understand the car’s limitations.

Norris mentioned that the goal of finding a better balance in the car, addressing the complaints both he and Ricciardo had, has been a persistent issue since 2019.

Norris, who is 23 years old, stated that this has resulted in a slight shift in “the manner in which I approach things and the way I express my views or provide input in different situations,” with regards to advocating for McLaren to alter its design approach.

“I don’t believe much has changed since last season, as I already had a solid understanding of the car and was able to extract more performance from it compared to Daniel at times,” said Norris.

“This approach will allow us to constantly push the boundaries and gain a deeper understanding of the limitations of the car.”

“However, my focus is not just on creating a fast car, but rather on unlocking its full potential to address a common issue that both Daniel and I have encountered. This has been a recurring theme since 2019.”

“Therefore, I don’t believe there will be a significant alteration. To be candid, the goal is to maintain an attitude of openness to criticism and offer constructive criticism when necessary, all for the purpose of promoting positive growth on my part and on their part.”

“This can be achieved through being truthful and building relationships, as I mentioned previously. There should be no added stress or unnecessary elements involved.”

“I plan to integrate myself even further with the team at the McLaren Technology Centre by spending more time here, being available for questions, and taking on a more prominent role in this regard.”

Norris modifications McLaren F1 Norris modifications McLaren F1

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