Lando Norris Hopeful for Recovery as McLaren Targets Singapore GP

Lando Norris has admitted that McLaren "underperformed" during the last two race weekends in Baku and Sepang. After a dominant stretch earlier in the season, the Woking-based team is now fighting to resolve specific straight-line speed deficits before taking on the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Why it matters:

McLaren is currently locked in a tight battle for the Constructors' Championship. While they hold third place, they are only 18 points ahead of Red Bull. Regaining the raw pace seen in Budapest and Madrid is essential if they hope to challenge the dominance of Mercedes and Ferrari at the top of the standings.

The details:

• Performance Dip: Neither Norris nor teammate Oscar Piastri reached the podium in the last two events, marking a significant slump from their mid-season form.
• Technical Hurdle: Norris highlighted a frustrating lack of straight-line speed that cost him critical grid positions during the last two qualifying sessions.
• Root Cause: While the rough tarmac in Malaysia played a part, Norris noted that struggles began in Baku, suggesting a systemic issue rather than a track-specific fluke.
• Singapore Advantage: The Marina Bay layout prioritizes mechanical grip and low-speed agility over raw top speed, which may temporarily mask the team's current deficit.

The big picture:

McLaren's 2026 campaign has been a rollercoaster of peaks and valleys. After securing multiple poles and wins mid-season, the current struggle reveals a vulnerability in their aerodynamic efficiency on high-speed sectors. With Mercedes leading the championship comfortably, McLaren must stabilize their performance to avoid losing ground to a surging Red Bull.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to the practice sessions in Singapore. Norris remains cautiously optimistic that the team's hard work off-track will translate to performance, but he insists that only real-world data on Friday will confirm if the straight-line speed issue is truly resolved.