While Mercedes and Renault have used older F1 machinery, McLaren has been forced to find alternative ways of getting Norris and Sainz back up to speed.
The reason is a clause in its contract with power unit supplier Renault that stipulates the French manufacturer would not cover running older cars.
As a result, McLaren has turned to Carlin, a team Norris raced with during his junior career, to provide their drivers with some seat time.
Taking place at Silverstone, where Racing Point completed a filming day in its 2020 car on Wednesday, the McLaren duo are not only using junior machinery, but also facing a battle against the elements with rain lashing the British Grand Prix venue.
On his return to the track, Norris tweeted: "Back doing that thing I do."