Lando Norris had a great race in Singapore despite missing out on the win, and is now looking ahead to this weekend’s Formula 1 race at Suzuka Japan.
The Briton, however, drove a smart race in Singapore last weekend, playing along with race winner Carlos Sainz to fend of Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, admitting at the time that he and his former teammate played it smart.
But what must be more encouraging for Norris is that McLaren have brought a major upgrade to his MCL60, which proved to be effective from the get go, and with the return to a more conventional track at Suzuka this weekend, the MCL60 should be fast.
“P2 in Singapore! What a fantastic start to this double header,” Norris said in McLaren‘s Japan preview. “The team have worked really hard to continue improving the car and the upgrades felt good on track.
“I’m excited to take the MCL60 and the Stealth Mode livery onwards to Japan and see what we can do there,” he added, looking ahead to this weekend.
“The Japanese GP is always one I look forward to. The atmosphere is incredible, and the fans always go all out with their creativity, which I love to see. The Suzuka Circuit can be challenging, but the layout is what makes it really enjoyable.
“Let’s bring home the points!” Norris concluded.
Oscar Piastri, did an impressive job in Singapore, finishing seventh in an MCL60 that did not have any upgrades, and will have a spring in his step these weekend in Japan, after McLaren extended his contract till the end of 2026.
The first ever Japanese Grand Prix for Piastri
Ahead of contesting his first ever Japanese Grand Prix, Piastri said: “I’m really excited for my first Grand Prix in Japan, and it’ll be great to explore the culture.
“I did learn some Japanese at school, so I’m curious to see how much of it I’ll remember,” he revealed. “Of course, I look forward to seeing our fans cheering the team on from the grandstands. A great atmosphere always adds to the excitement of a race weekend.
“The circuit looks very cool. Suzuka is definitely a track everyone wants to drive at, so I’m looking forward to experiencing that for the first time this weekend. My car will carry the Stealth Mode livery again, as well as some new parts, which is exciting.
“I had good pace in Singapore, made up 10 positions, so I’m hoping to improve on that performance and finish in the points again,” the Australian rookie concluded.
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella, added: “We close the Asian double header in Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend.
“The atmosphere the fans bring in Japan is unique as they are so passionate. We are always given a wonderful welcome, and it’s a special feeling that you get coming here. The circuit is also one the drivers look forward to each year.
“Off the back of a positive result for us in Singapore, we are now focused on seeing what these latest upgrades can do in Japan across both cars,” the Italian went on. “The conditions in Suzuka can make for a trickier race and so we are keeping a close eye on the weather as we approach the weekend.
“However, we know that we have made vast improvements since the start of the season, so we will keep looking ahead and do our best to secure another good haul of points for the team,” Stella concluded.