McLaren driver Lando Norris admits team performance decline

Following the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, McLaren driver Lando Norris has concluded that the team has regressed to being the fourth fastest competitor in Formula 1. Despite implementing technical updates, Norris noted that the car continues to struggle with fundamental issues, specifically a lack of grip and performance in low-speed corners.

During the race in Austin, Norris finished in fifth place after a one-stop strategy, while teammate Oscar Piastri finished seventh. Norris explained that while the car showed good pace on hard tires, he had to push the equipment beyond its ideal limits to maintain a podium contention, which eventually led to him being overtaken by Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton.

Team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged that qualifying performance and car predictability remain primary areas for improvement. The team aims to address these technical limitations to regain competitiveness in the final stages of the championship.