Lando Norris feels McLaren is on the right track after strong Japanese GP

Lando Norris says McLaren's second and fifth-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix proves the team is heading in the right direction, providing a "good kick" of motivation despite acknowledging the car is "still lacking in many areas." The result, highlighted by Oscar Piastri's podium, marks a significant rebound from a double DNF in China and suggests the MCL40's performance is track-specific.

Why it matters:

After a disastrous Chinese Grand Prix where both cars failed to start, a double points finish with one driver on the podium is a crucial morale and points boost for McLaren. It demonstrates the car's inherent potential on certain circuits and validates recent development work, keeping the team firmly in the fight for top positions in the ultra-competitive midfield behind the top three teams.

The details:

• The weekend was a stark contrast to Shanghai, with both McLaren drivers making strong starts. Piastri took the lead by passing the Mercedes duo into Turn 1 and led the first 18 laps.
• Norris noted that having clean air, which he found after passing Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari late in the race, revealed the car's "crazy strong" pace at Suzuka.
• The team benefited from a small power unit upgrade, with Norris citing improvements in "deployment, the battery, and the engine side of things" from Mercedes.
• Despite the positive result, Norris was candid about ongoing weaknesses, stating that he and Piastri share "the same complaints with the car and what the difficulties are."
• He emphasized that the performance was largely due to the Suzuka circuit suiting the car's characteristics, with not many major updates since China.

What's next:

The result serves as a confirmation of progress rather than a transformation. McLaren's challenge is to translate this specific-circuit strength into more consistent performance across a wider variety of tracks. The positive data and result will fuel the team's development push as they aim to close the gap to the front runners and solidify their position as the leading team in the chasing pack. The focus now shifts to maintaining momentum at the upcoming races.