Lando Norris: McLaren driver returns to ‘short -sighted’ car requirements in front of Australian Grand Prix | F1 news
Lando Norris returned the “short -sighted” McLaren has an advantage over the rest of the field that entered the Australian Grand Prix, which opened the season.
McLaren had the fastest car in the second half of last year, because for the first time in 1998 they won the title of Constructor and were seemingly strong in the pre -season testing last month.
Norris’s Simulation of the F1 Range Race Race raised her eyebrows on the second day of the F1 test, because it was about one second faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes Kimi Antonelli toward the last part of the long -lasting.
Mercedes’ George Russell said McLaren would start the “far strongest” season, and his team chief Toto Wolff said that the “apparently” with the headquarters in Woking “clearly” has the fastest car.
“I know there are a lot of expectations and that’s what everyone says. My one race just made everyone believe it quite a few,” said Norris, who was the winner of Max Verstappen in the driver’s championship last year.
“It was a good racing race, but it was also the most perfect conditions. Oscar led the race a lot the next day, not because he drove worse, but simply because the conditions of the last day were much slower.
“I’m pretty surprised that many people are so short -sighted, especially people you wouldn’t expect, making so many conclusions before we started the season at all. But everyone just wants to play that game look like underdog and play it down.”
Norris: You will be surprised by Ferrari Pace
If McLaren is the fastest, the testing has suggested that it is difficult to divide Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes behind.
While Norris took eight sex positions last year, the most holy with Verstappen, McLaren made a strong pace of the race a difference on Sundays.
Norris went crazy that the conversation that McLaren was the favorite of the title “Great Publicity” for it, and told people to look after Ferrari in Melbourne.
“If I go out this weekend and do a bad job, who cares what people have said in the past. I don’t believe it,” he added.
“I feel like we’re in a similar playground as the top of three teams. I still think we are the best four [teams]. There are many things that other people have not seen.
“Other people looked extremely strong, including Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari. I know how much fuel and things Ferrari had for a lot of testing. You would be surprised how fast it would be this weekend.
“People can talk about what they want. I think we held ourselves for us. We were constantly focused. We want to be fast, we expect to fight, but I definitely don’t mean the margin that everyone speaks.”
The ruling world champion Verstappen repeated on a medial day on Thursday in Melbourne that Red Bull “has to work”.
“I know we’re not the fastest right now, but again it’s a very long season,” he said.
“If you asked that question last year, at the end of the season it looked completely different again, so many things can always quickly change in Formula 1.”
Norris and Piastra ‘Free Races’
Earlier this week, McLaren announced that Oscar Piastra had signed a new years of extension of the contract, which would mean that their drivers were tied up to at least 2027.
Piastra and Norris mostly worked well together on the trail, although last year there were flashpoints.
On the Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris was said to have repeatedly released Piastra during the last stages of the race after underestimating his teammate in the stops. In the end, Norris released Piastra with three rounds, so the Australian won his F1 maiden race.
Six weeks later in Mozi, Piastra overcame Norris in the introductory circle of the Italian Grand Prix when the couple was in the first and second. In doing so, Norris also lost to Charles Leclerca, and Ferrari driver continued his victory.
After that incident, McLaren stated that Norris would get a priority by the end of the season because of his position in the driver’s championship. However, on the Grand Prix Azerbaijan, Norris slowed down Sergio Perez to help Piastra, and the latter won the race. Norris also allowed Piastra to win the Qatar Sprint just before they reached a plaid flag.
Piastra will have a domestic audience this weekend, and Norris confirmed that they are “free to race”.
“There are no papaya rules. We are happy to oppose each other and compete. Of course, we have to know that we will be a lot against each other this season and I hope we are,” he said.
“Our strength last season was helping each other and always giving each other a good amount of room, the fair race. It was our strength last season and we have to maintain it. This is one of our biggest things as a team and our biggest goal.
“It will always be difficult because we want to beat each other. It is inevitable at the end of the day. But at the moment there are lines that we cannot cross as teammates.
“We keep both cars on the trail and do not allow debris to fly. Besides, we are happy to race, we are excited to race against each other and push each other to the end limit.”
Sky Sports F1 -ov Australian GP -ASA LIVE
Thursday 13th March
- 21.45: F3 Practice
- 10.55: F2 Practice
Friday 14th March
- 1:00: Australian practice GP one (session begins at 1:30 pm)*
- 2.55 hours: F3 qualifying*
- 3.40 hours: a press conference of the team director
- 4.45 hours: Australian practice GP two (session starts at 5:00)*
- 6.25 hours: F2 qualifying*
- 7.15 hours: F1 Show*
Saturday, March 15th
- 12.10am: F3 Sprint*
- 1.10 hours: Australian Practice GP Three (session begins at 1:30 pm)*
- 3.10 hours: F2 Sprint*
- 4.15: 00: Australian GP qualifying buildup*
- 5:00: Australian qualifying GP -A*
- 7:00: TED -O’s qualifying notebook*
7.30: 00: Australian reprise GP for qualification* (9:00 on Sky Showcase) - 21.55: F3 Race features*
Sunday 16th March
- 12.25: 00: F2 Race features*
- 2.30 hours: Australian GP Building-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 4:00: Australian Grand Prix*
- 6:00: Australian reaction GP -a: Plated flag*
- 7:00: Ted’s notebook*
- 7.55pm: Australian reproduction of GP race
- 10:00: Australian GP prominent (also on Sky Showcase)
- 7:00 pm: Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s Compled Tragedy
*Also at the main event Sky Sports
Check out all 24 racing weekends from the Formula 1 2025 Live Season Sky Sports F1Starting from the Australian GP from March 14 to March 16. Stream Sky Sports with now – No Treaty, cancel anytime
