Norris expects two “very tough” rounds for McLaren · F1 · RaceFans

McLaren’s Lando Norris expects the subsequent two rounds in Mexico and Brazil will show “very powerful” for his automotive and will go well with rivals Mercedes and Aston Martin.

Norris arrives at Mexico Metropolis having secured high three finishes within the final 4 rounds of the championship. He completed third however inherited second place from Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification eventually weekend’s United States Grand Prix.

Regardless of his run of success, Norris doesn’t count on to return to the rostrum this weekend or at subsequent weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

“I believe going to 2 very powerful weekends arising – each right here and Brazil,” he admitted. “Only a few medium-high velocity corners. Plenty of very sluggish velocity, second gear, third gear, which is simply the place we’re very weak.

“I believe the principle factor is there’s no strengths of our automotive right here this weekend. Possibly a little bit of straight line braking. There’s no medium-high velocity, which is the place we’re very aggressive. It’s the place we get a number of time again.

“In races, for instance, we’ve at all times needed to push high-speed, which isn’t one thing you essentially wish to do. However to make up for an absence of slow-speed efficiency now we have to push in high-speed, which causes extra tyre temperature, extra degradation. So it’s two issues that go incorrect for us in a short time. If it’s cool, you get away with it. However when it was as sizzling as, say, Texas was, it’s what led to our barely worse efficiency on a Sunday.”

Norris says the McLaren’s efficiency on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez will seem common compared to current circuits which have flattered their automotive.

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“I believe what’s going to make it possibly a bit trickier is simply our distinction of the previous couple of weekends have been so good,” He mentioned. “They’ve been tracks which have suited us and at all times previously have sort of suited us moderately effectively and Texas typically sort of hasn’t. So I believe we’re simply going to see possibly a bit distinction.”

The Mexican and Interlagos circuits not suiting McLaren might as a substitute play into the arms of a few of their rivals, Norris believes.

“You’re going to see Aston, for instance, I believe are going to be very aggressive right here,” Norris mentioned. “Mercedes, I believe they’re going to be very aggressive right here.

“It’s simply because it’s a number of stop-start, second gear, third gear, second gear corners the place you simply can simply lose a number of lap time by 2-3kph minimal velocity. You lose a number of lap time.

“I believe we’ve at all times been clear once we mentioned tracks had been going to be good or dangerous [for us]. It’s good while you’ve had surprises once we’ve truly completed a bit higher, however I believe we all know those which we’re undoubtedly going to wrestle with and have sort of at all times struggled a bit bit which is right here in Brazil.”

McLaren’s prospects for the concluding pair of races, together with the brand new occasion on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, are more durable to evaluate, says Norris.

“The ultimate two races actually are a query mark. I believe we’re going to possibly not be fairly as robust and also you’re going to see a few of our opponents. I’d say primarily Aston will in all probability step again up and be aggressive once more.”

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2023 Mexican Grand Prix

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