Lando Norris fought through car struggles all weekend long in Shanghai, securing a vital second place and boosting McLaren’s team momentum.
Norris admitted it wasn’t easy getting comfortable in his McLaren this weekend in Shanghai — but in the end, second place was a result well worth taking.
The 18 points he scored could prove crucial later in the season. While teammate Oscar Piastri had the upper hand in terms of pace, Norris managed to secure P2 in a race that tested him both physically and mentally.
“Yeah, it was a tough one,” Norris said after the race.
“I’m just happy for the team. This is McLaren’s 50th double podium, and to be part of that is special. Oscar drove a great race.”
In fact, this weekend seemed to confirm what Norris had said earlier — that the McLaren’s sharp handling style doesn’t suit his driving as naturally as it does Oscar’s.
“Considering how difficult the last few days were, and how much I struggled just to feel comfortable in the car, I’m happy with the progress. I honestly didn’t expect to have the pace I had. I was nervous, really worried I’d keep struggling. But Sunday was much better, and it’s nice to finally have some answers. That gives me confidence.”
The turning point? Norris made some key setup changes between the sprint and Grand Prix qualifying — and it showed. While some drivers, like Lewis Hamilton, lost pace, Norris found his rhythm.
Can he reveal what kind of changes were made?
“That’s something the team knows better than anyone, but yeah, we made a lot of changes. Mostly adjustments to the front end. I just can’t drive a car with no front grip — well, I can, but not quickly. The car was just too understeery, especially in the sprint. But on Sunday, it was a different story.”
“We’re still learning how to get the most out of this car, especially over long runs. But I didn’t feel confident before the race. On Sunday, with the new setup — mechanical and aero tweaks — it finally clicked. Much better.”
Brake Issues Nearly Cost Him the Race
Norris nearly lost that second place — or worse, failed to finish — due to brake issues that worsened near the end of the race. George Russell closed in fast, finishing just 1.5 seconds behind him.
“The problem started pretty early, I think,” Norris said.
“But the team probably didn’t tell me everything. They saw it coming and knew it’d get worse. Those last ten laps were nerve-racking. The brake pedal just kept going longer and longer — not something you want to feel, especially on a high-speed track like this. It’s scary when you hit the brakes expecting resistance… and there’s nothing.”
“We were lucky to finish, honestly. In those last two laps, I was three or four seconds slower — maybe more. I wish I could have pushed Oscar a bit more, but I just had to bring it home. We’ll need to dig into what happened and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
With a brake-heavy track like Suzuka coming up, is Norris worried?
“I really hope not. We didn’t expect this issue at all. It got worse faster than anyone anticipated — it became critical in the final five laps. This kind of problem just shouldn’t happen. I know the team will look into it.”
A Strong Dynamic Between Teammates
Team boss Andrea Stella praised the collaboration between Norris and Piastri over the weekend — a key reason for the team’s performance.
“Other than Ferrari, I don’t think any team has two drivers pushing each other as much as we do,” said Norris.
“And that’s a huge strength. Even if two drivers have the same car, the team with two high-performing, motivated drivers will always beat one with only one star.”
Looking ahead, Norris hinted that McLaren’s driver lineup might even have an edge over some of the top teams — possibly even Red Bull, where Liam Lawson is struggling.
“We’ve got a great car and an even better driver lineup. That matters more than having one ‘best’ driver. One of our biggest strengths right now is how much we learn from each other. Oscar and I have different driving styles, different needs from the car, but we usually end up in the same direction.”
“Oscar adapted really well this weekend — I struggled more. I hate understeer. Almost as much as I hate losing my brakes. That’s exactly what we dealt with this weekend. Once we switched to the hard tyres and I got more front grip, my pace improved. I learned a lot from Oscar, especially how he adjusts to different situations.”
“We’ll keep building on that. Right now, it’s what gives us the edge. A great car, two great drivers… and Zak.”
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Brakes – Balance – But Still P2: Norris Holds On Brakes – Balance – But Still P2: Norris Holds On
