Lando Norris has voiced his concerns about his performance with McLaren`s current car, admitting that he feels he is not driving to his full potential after a challenging Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.
Despite finishing third in the Bahrain race, starting from sixth on the grid, Norris, who initially held a slight lead in the world championship, now sees his teammate Oscar Piastri close behind, just three points away after Piastri`s dominant win from pole position.
Norris confessed that his qualifying mistakes placed him five positions behind Piastri, and his race ambition of securing second place was not achieved. He stated, `my goal for today was P2`.
His pursuit of second place was complicated by several incidents during the 57-lap race. Norris received a five-second penalty for incorrectly positioning his car at the start and encountered difficulties overtaking competitors in close racing situations.
He had to overtake Lewis Hamilton twice after a safety car period. His first attempt was off-track and deemed illegal. Additionally, overtaking Charles Leclerc`s Ferrari also proved to be a time-consuming task.
Eventually reaching third place, Norris was unable to overtake George Russell`s Mercedes in the intense final stages of the race.
`I paid the price for avoidable mistakes,` Norris told Sky Sports F1.
`However, I believe our pace was quite strong.`
He described the race as `Difficult,` adding, `Whether I could have overtaken George with one more lap is irrelevant, as I didn`t succeed.`
`The positive aspect is gaining points. The negative is not achieving our potential.`
`I`m Nowhere Near My True Capability`
Entering the season, Norris was considered a title contender. He won the opening race in Australia.
However, in the subsequent three Grand Prix, Piastri has won two, and Max Verstappen one. It`s becoming clear that Norris is finding it hard to maximize the performance of McLaren`s leading MCL39 car.
`I`m honestly surprised by what I`m achieving currently, considering how I feel in the car,` he admitted to Sky Sports.
`I`m uncomfortable and not content. I don`t feel right, so the results I`m getting are still surprising to me.`
`Something just isn`t clicking. I can`t pinpoint what it is.`
In the post-race press conference, Norris elaborated, `I can`t replicate the laps I was doing last season. I had complete awareness of every corner and how the car would behave. I felt in control.`
`This year, it`s the complete opposite. Even in Australia, despite winning, I lacked confidence.`
`The car`s sheer performance is masking many issues for me right now. I`m simply not performing at my true capability, which is frustrating to admit.`
Norris `Not Doubting Himself` Despite Strong Self-Criticism
Norris, known for his self-critical nature, publicly criticized himself after qualifying on Saturday for not matching Piastri`s pace.
In various interviews after the session, he described himself as `clueless`, `not quick enough`, and feeling like he had `never driven a Formula 1 car before`.
However, a day later, Norris clarified that while he is searching for the reasons behind his lack of connection with the car, he is not questioning his driving skills.
`I spent considerable time, even last night, investigating and understanding my struggles and what isn`t working,` he explained.
`I`m trying to identify the changes from last year to this year. Is it me? Is it aspects of the car? It`s complex.`
`But I`m not doubting my abilities, even if it may seem that way. Something isn`t gelling, and I don`t feel at ease in the car.`
`I`m confident in my capabilities. But when you lack confidence in the car, in knowing the limits and how to handle slow and high-speed corners, I won`t be as fast as I need to be, especially when competing against the best. Any lack of composure becomes a problem, and that`s what`s happening now.`
He added, `I don`t have immediate answers, and we have significant work to do to understand these issues. But I remain confident in my ability to perform well.`
`Considering my current feelings, achieving a win and a P2 is surprising, even with my discomfort. There`s work to be done. I`ll stay focused and work hard; that`s all I can do for now.`
Stella Praises Norris` `Unique` Approach
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella offered insight into Norris`s approach to driving a car he is not yet comfortable with.
Stella, who has worked with champions like Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, and Jenson Button, noted, `It`s an uncomfortable situation, but Lando`s way of navigating it is similar to other champions I`ve observed.`
`Lando is somewhat unique in his openness and visibility. His self-criticism after qualifying is an example. Some past champions would likely attribute the problem elsewhere.`
`There`s a key aspect here that I admire in Lando, making me feel privileged as a team principal. He tends to take responsibility and blame upon himself.`
`Like on Saturday in Q3, when he didn`t deliver the lap, he took full responsibility, absolving the team.`
`He said, “it wasn`t your fault, it was me,” which is not entirely accurate. We know we`ve made car changes that have made things slightly harder for Lando.`
`Technically, we understand this. Lando is adapting, and it might have favored Oscar more. We`re collaborating to resolve it.`
`Some drivers, when faced with issues, immediately point fingers at the team. This is unhealthy and doesn`t foster growth. Driver evaluation should include these aspects. For me, as a team principal, they are crucial for team development, preventing internal conflicts.`
`Potential can be wasted through internal fighting and driver-team tensions, diverting energy from performance.`
Wesley Dunham