McLaren has little chance against mistake-free Racing Point - Lando Norris

McLaren

McLaren has little chance against mistake-free Racing Point - Norris

British drivers feels McLaren is only fourth or fifth best team

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 15 July 2020 09:55

Lando Norris does not believe McLaren stands a chance against Racing Point this Formula 1 season in an error-free race.

For many observers in F1, the pace of the RP20 has been eye-catching this season, and if it proves legal following a protest from Renault, then it is likely to be pushing Mercedes and Red Bull at some circuits.

After finishing third and fifth in the opening two races of the season at the Red Bull Ring, Norris recognises he has been fortunate with the results, notably in the Styrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

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Sergio Perez, who had started from 17th on the grid, was challenging Red Bull's Alex Albon for fourth late on when he damaged his front wing.

As Renault's Daniel Ricciardo and the second Racing Point of Lance Stroll tangled over one another, and due to the damage to Perez's car, Norris managed to make up three places in the final three laps to score another superb result.

"We had a little bit of luck with Perez on the final lap," said Norris. "I don't know what position he started, but he was a long way behind, and he would have finished way ahead.

"The Racing Points are way too quick for us. When someone extracts all the pace out of the car like Sergio, then I think he showed how fast their car is.

"I'm not really expecting that we have much of a chance against them when they don't make mistakes.

"But like the previous weekend, we made the most out of our opportunities, with Stroll and Ricciardo battling and making mistakes, and I gained on them, and then with Sergio and his front wing."

Norris is fully aware of McLaren's position in the current pecking order, particularly trailing a car continually described by team principal Andreas Seidl as "a one-year-old Mercedes" given its resemblance to last year's title-winning W10.

"I think we maybe have the fourth-best car, maybe the fifth, but the top three [Mercedes, Red Bull, Racing Point] are nicely ahead, and obviously Ferrari didn't run," added Stroll, referring to the collision between Scuderia team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc on lap one that led to them both retiring.

"We've had a good first two weekends of the year, but I think they're probably going to get tougher from now on."

Before you go...

Hamilton calls on F1 to "spice it up" for second Silverstone race

Racing Point "a little too fast for our liking" - Ricciardo