After a bright start in Bahrain, McLaren F1 heads to Jeddah with high hopes but faces challenges as Norris seeks a competitive edge in Saudi Arabia.
After a promising Bahrain Grand Prix, McLaren F1 is expected to make a significant impact in Jeddah, on a track that could better suit the MCL38. However, during the first day in Saudi Arabia, Lando Norris seemed to struggle to achieve a competitive time.
“I’m pleased with some aspects, less so with others. I’ve had difficulty finding a good balance in certain corners, especially here where confidence between the walls is key. But it only affects a few corners, so it’s a good start and very tight. The pecking order seems slightly different from Bahrain, but it’s a good beginning,” Norris remarked.
“We are roughly where we were last week. But it’s a different circuit, the car behaves differently, and we’ll likely see a different hierarchy. Aston is looking strong, we are a bit behind the other four leading teams, but we’ll see if we can change that before tomorrow.”
Oscar Piastri cut short his effort on a promising lap on medium tires, but it raises the question of the team’s potential with the softest compound.
“To be honest, it was a challenging day. In some areas, we were strong, but in others, not as much. It’s a bit hard to pinpoint where we stand, but we definitely need to make some improvements tomorrow. We’ll see what we can do.”
“There’s a possibility to take on Red Bull here. Alonso seems fast. But it’s hard to say where we stand, and therefore, if we can also be ahead. Honestly, we could be at the front, but also 10th. It’s just very hard to predict. So, we’re expecting another thrilling battle in tomorrow’s qualifying, and I hope we can drive further towards the front than today.”
McLaren Jeddah Norris Challenge F1 2024. McLaren Jeddah Norris Challenge F1 2024
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