Norris highlights "outstanding" McLaren achievement

Lando Norris has hailed the one aspect of McLaren's performance over the past year he feels was better than its nine F1 rivals.

McLaren had previously been under fire for its problematic pit stops which led to team principal Andreas Seidl highlighting it as an area for improvement.

A tightening of procedures resulted in McLaren becoming the only team to post a sub-two seconds stop across the entire year, with a time recorded of 1.98secs for Daniel Ricciardo in the Mexico City Grand Prix.

"The mechanics have done an outstanding job in the toughest year for pit stops with the heavier tyres and worse guns," said Norris.

“We’ve had the fastest pit stop this year, we’ve had multiple fastest pit stops across weekends."

McLaren set the fastest pit stop time at six of the 22 races, a total bettered only by Red Bull with 10.

Despite losing out to Alpine in the constructors' standings, McLaren ended the year on a high by outscoring its rival in the final race in Abu Dhabi, providing positive momentum to carry through the winter months.

“I think it’s just motivation, it’s energy for everyone," added Norris.

"To finish ahead of Alpine in terms of a result, if not the championship, you’re happier to be ahead of people and to have a good result. So everyone is smiling now because I think we’ve had a good season.

“Everyone at the track has done a good job - the mechanics, the engineers. We’ve pretty much maximised every opportunity we’ve had."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

When is the next F1 race? British Grand Prix schedule and details for 2026

• 2 hours ago

F1 Austrian Grand Prix 2026 results: Final classification after late penalties applied

• 3 hours ago

Ferrari 'dice roll' cost Lewis Hamilton at Austrian Grand Prix

• Yesterday 20:51

George Russell battled failure in Mercedes F1 car during Austrian GP victory

• Yesterday 19:53

F1 News Today: Mercedes in FIA breach at Austrian GP as Verstappen gives Russell the finger

• Yesterday 19:00

Max Verstappen plans two-month sabbatical after Austrian Grand Prix crash

• Yesterday 18:55