Lando Norris Calls McLaren "Impossible" to Drive Despite P2 Qualifying in US GP
Summary
Lando Norris surprisingly qualified P2 for the US GP despite calling his McLaren "impossible" to drive, citing significant struggles with bumps, kerbs, and changing track conditions. He expressed frustration over the car's handling but remains determined to win the race, highlighting his exceptional skill in extracting performance from a difficult machine.
Lando Norris expressed significant frustration with his McLaren MCL39 during qualifying for the United States Grand Prix, calling it "impossible" to drive, yet he remarkably secured second place on the grid alongside Max Verstappen. Despite the strong result, Norris highlighted the car's challenging behavior and a clear struggle with changing track conditions.
Why it matters:
- Norris's comments reveal underlying handling issues within the McLaren camp, even as the team continues to show strong qualifying pace.
- Securing a front-row start despite these difficulties underscores Norris's exceptional driving skill and ability to extract performance from a challenging car.
- The discrepancy between sprint qualifying pace and grand prix qualifying pace points to sensitivity to track and wind conditions, which could be a factor in race strategy.
The Details:
- Challenging Conditions: Norris described the MCL39 as a "handful" due to every bump and kerb affecting the car differently, making it inconsistent lap-to-lap.
- Performance Drop: He noted a significant drop in comfort and lap time compared to Friday's sprint qualifying, where he was 0.587s quicker.
- Impact of Changes: Norris suggested that changes in track conditions and wind disproportionately affected McLaren compared to other teams.
- Close Call in Q1: He was nearly knocked out in Q1, placing 11th and 12th at one point, indicating the car's immediate struggles.
- Verstappen's Edge: Norris was almost three-tenths behind Max Verstappen's pole time, although Verstappen did not complete a second Q3 run.
What's next:
Norris is determined to convert his front-row start into a victory, emphasizing his goal to win races rather than just finish on the podium.
- His focus remains on Sunday's race, with no specific changes planned for the start, despite his teammate Oscar Piastri starting in sixth.
- McLaren will need to quickly understand and adapt to the car's sensitivity to conditions to ensure a strong race performance and capitalize on Norris's qualifying heroics.
- Resolving the 'impossible to drive' characteristics will be crucial for McLaren's long-term competitive aspirations.
Original Article :https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/norris-mclaren-impossible-to-drive-in-f1-us-g...
