Lando Norris believes the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix demonstrated that McLaren is not significantly ahead of other teams as some have suggested this season.
His teammate, Oscar Piastri, secured victory after starting second on the grid, overtaking Norris in the championship standings. However, Piastri`s lead over Red Bull`s Max Verstappen was only 2.8 seconds, despite Verstappen serving a five-second penalty during a pit stop for a corner-cutting incident earlier in the race against Piastri.
Norris himself achieved a strong fourth-place finish, recovering from a poor qualifying session that placed him tenth on the grid. He attempted to overtake Charles Leclerc for third place in the final stages of the race but finished just one second behind the Ferrari.
When questioned about the strong performance of Red Bull and Ferrari, Norris commented to Sky Sports F1: “I`m unsure why people are surprised. They`ve been equally fast in most sessions and in the race itself. The notion that we are far ahead simply because we show pace in practice is unfounded.”
He added, “People can continue to speculate, but we don`t consider ourselves to be significantly ahead, as the race results indicate. Max was likely the fastest driver today if not for his penalty, highlighting that we still have areas for improvement.”
Reflecting on his race, Norris acknowledged his qualifying setback but was content with his recovery to fourth place and the 12 points earned. “Overall, I`m pleased with the recovery drive and the result,” he stated, though admitting, “I tend to make things harder for myself.”
“I think fourth was the best possible outcome today,” Norris said, noting he is now 10 points behind Piastri in the championship after five races. “It`s a bit disappointing to miss the podium, we were close. Judging these situations is always tricky.”
He elaborated on the race dynamics, mentioning Charles Leclerc`s strong first stint and tire strategy. “Charles raced well, especially in the first stint, which allowed him to have fresher tires later. I pitted only a few laps after him, which wasn`t enough to catch him. I am generally satisfied, but starting further up the grid would simplify things considerably.”
Norris concluded by pointing out the need for better qualifying performances, saying, “I need to improve my Saturdays, and then we will be in a better position.”
The Formula 1 season continues in Miami for a Sprint weekend on May 2-4.
Gilbert Pendleton 
Wesley Dunham