Realistic McLaren refusing to get caught up in Norris podium hype

Norris on the Austrian podium — Photo: © LAT Images

McLaren

Realistic McLaren refusing to get caught up in Norris podium hype

Norris has scored three podium finishes in nine race this year

Sam Hall

Friday 9 July 2021 13:38

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl is refusing to get swept away by the wave of optimism following Lando Norris' latest podium finish in Austria.

Norris has been one of the stand-out drivers this season, with his total of 101 points a career-high after just nine races compared to his previous best of 97 from last year's 17-grand prix campaign.

Norris' third place at the Red Bull Ring was the third time this year he has finished in the position, pushing him to within three points of third-placed Sergio Perez in the drivers' standings, yet Seidl is keeping his feet on the floor.

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"There is no point hyping things that are not there," said Seidl, who appreciates his team are still not at the level of Red Bull and Mercedes.

"You need to be realistic. We had no chance to battle these four cars. There was a huge gap.

“We know exactly where we stand as a team and we know what the deficit is, and we know what the deficit is on the team side in terms of infrastructure and so on, so it is not a surprise that we are where we are."

McLaren on a "journey" to the top

In the eyes of many long-term F1 fans, the McLaren name is one that is synonymous with success.

On the day of the Austrian Grand Prix, however, it had been 3,143 days since Jenson Button last stood on the top step of the podium for McLaren at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix. In this time, 166 grands prix have taken place.

“We are on a journey, we have a clear plan of how we want to reduce these deficits that will still take some years but the good thing is we have made steps," added Seidl.

“We are ambitious. We want to shortcut this journey as much as possible but there is no magic and I simply think it is always good to have a sense of realism and not get carried away with results like on Sunday.

"They are great and give good energy to the team but it doesn’t change the picture, the realistic picture that we have in terms of where we are.”