Lando Norris reveals McLaren plan for F1 revival

McLaren

Norris reveals McLaren plan for F1 revival

Will McLaren improve from fifth in 2023?

Ewan Gale

Wednesday 14 December 2022 12:55

Lando Norris claims McLaren is formulating an improved plan to rejoin the top ranks of F1 after losing out to Alpine this year.

The Woking-based team had enjoyed a three-year resurgence from 2019-2021, finishing fourth, third and fourth in the constructors' championship, before F1 revamped the technical regulations for this year.

Initially, when the MCL36 hit the track in Bahrain for the first race, brake issues carried over from pre-season testing left Norris and Daniel Ricciardo on the back foot.

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Although a fix was made, McLaren slipped to fifth in the constructors' as Alpine clinched the best-of-the-rest placing behind Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.

"We understand where we need to improve but that is the easy part," said Norris.

"The hard part is achieving a car that actually performs doing those things, and there is a very good plan in place.

"When I have spoken to James [Key, McLaren technical director] there is a better, structured plan to combat this, to understand it."

Norris faith in wind tunnel gains

McLaren is undergoing an upgrade to its infrastructure at its technology centre, primarily with the construction of an in-house wind tunnel.

Norris remains hopeful the improvements at its base will provide welcome progress on track.

"We still have the new wind tunnel that is being made, a new simulator, something we are obviously doing for a reason, to put so much budget into that, because we honestly think it is going to help us in the future," he added.

"The fact Red Bull is building another one proves it helps you so much.

"I still have faith that will help the last click, the last push, but last year, we proved we can do a better job than this year.

"We need to take a good step forward into next year and then into 2024, it has to be another one. I have faith in the team."