Norris calls McLaren one of his hardest F1 cars after 'shocking' British GP

Lando Norris held nothing back after a difficult British Grand Prix, labeling McLaren's weekend "pretty shocking" despite salvaging fourth place at Silverstone. The Briton described the team's current challenger as one of the most difficult cars he has ever driven in Formula 1, conceding that McLaren has been clearly out-developed by Mercedes and Ferrari in recent rounds.

Why it matters:

McLaren arrived at Silverstone with genuine championship aspirations, but consecutive struggles in Austria and Britain suggest the team is losing ground in the development race. Norris's blunt criticism signals mounting concern at Woking, where a car that once looked like a title contender is now forcing the team into damage limitation.

The details:

• Norris admitted the team was "just slow" after qualifying, trailing the leader by over 40 seconds before a late safety car.
• He confessed that fourth place owed more to reliability and rivals' issues than raw pace, citing problems for Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli.
• The Briton confirmed the car is unpleasant to drive and lacks pace to challenge at the front, insisting there are "many things we need to do better."
• The result continued a worrying trend from the Austrian Grand Prix one week prior.

What's next:

McLaren must urgently understand why its development has stalled while rivals extend their advantage. With the championship fight intensifying, Norris and the team must quickly cure the handling ills of a car he considers among the hardest of his F1 career. The coming rounds will reveal whether this is a temporary setback or a fundamental flaw in the squad's 2026 concept.