Lando Norris remains cautious ahead of Monaco, aiming for victory on a circuit that presents unique challenges. The McLaren driver is buoyed by recent successes, hoping to maintain momentum.
Winner in Miami and then very close to Max Verstappen at Imola, Lando Norris is now a legitimate contender for victory and consistently showcases McLaren F1’s significant progress every weekend.
However, the British driver doesn’t necessarily believe that the scenario will repeat itself this weekend in Monaco.
“It’s such a different circuit. It’s great for the team, it gives them a good dose of confidence. We are on the right track. We are fighting against Ferrari and Red Bull, and that’s what is expected of us now. That’s where we are and what we have to do. So, yes, I think we want to do the same again, but it’s such a different circuit. We’ll have to see where we are on Friday, and you can ask me again then.”
Moreover, Norris has frequently highlighted his McLaren’s struggles with slow corners, although it is likely that recent upgrades will help in this area.
“Yes, I mean, we have a few changes for Monaco, like everyone else, I’m sure, and you set up the car completely differently from how you would here. I don’t think the correlation is exactly the same. I think when we can set up the car for slow speed, we’re better. But when you have to set it up for high speed, medium speed, and slow speed, that’s when we maximise our strengths, which are high speed and medium speed, and we take a hit in slow speed. But, yes, we have a few little things, and even the upgrade we brought to Miami helped us a bit in the right direction.”
“My worst corners in Imola were 14 and 15, the slowest part of the circuit. That’s where I lost the most time. So, it’s still our weak point. We are aware of it. We’re working on it. And it doesn’t make me too worried for Monaco because it’s a track where you want a good car, but you also have to commit fully. It’s not like you can turn the wheel slowly. You have to commit. You have to judge how close you’re going to get to the apex and things like that. So, there’s a lot of risk involved. And when that comes into play, it levels things out a bit. So, yes, I’m not worried. I’m looking forward to Monaco. I’m sure everyone is because it’s so cool. Anyway, I’m looking forward to Saturday.”
Norris no longer hides his ambitions: he intends to challenge Max Verstappen on all types of circuits.
“I hope so. There’s no reason to deny it. We also got a second place in China, so we’ve been second, first, second, you know, and I think those are good signs. I think we’re getting everything we can out of the car, and when we do that, we’re there. We’re on the right track. The team has done a great job to get us here. Many people didn’t expect us to be able to progress so much and catch up with Red Bull.”
“I don’t think we’re at their level yet. As we saw this weekend, they still have areas where they are better and maybe areas where we are better now, which is a good sign. But yes, I think there will be tracks where we can be stronger. I’m always looking forward to some of these circuits, but there will always be a place where we fall short. So, we’re working on those areas, and if we improve them as much as the rest of the car, then I’m excited to think that we can continue to fight them in other races.”
Norris Cautious Ahead of Unique Monaco Challenge. Norris Cautious Ahead of Unique Monaco Challenge
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