Norris: Monza a track I've done well at in the past

Norris' best result at Monza is his second place in 2021, when he followed then teammate Daniel Ricciardo over the finish line having succumbed to team orders not to attack the Australian.

But this time around, the Briton may not have to deal with any orders, as he enters this weekend a favorite after his win at Zandvoort last weekend, when he outclassed Red Bull rival Max Verstappen, not to mention his own teammate Oscar Piastri.

Previewing the Italian GP in McLaren's media brief, Norris said: "I'm excited to be going to Monza as a two-time Grand Prix winner.

"It was a great way to start the second part of the 2024 season, and we'll hopefully carry this momentum into this weekend as we look to continue closing the Championship gaps.

"This is a track I've done well at in the past," he pointed out. "It's also the fastest circuit on the calendar, which makes it all the more fun. We've done our preparations and we've gone over what we could do even better to ensure more wins in the future.

"Now we've got our heads down and we're ready to bring in another set of good points for the team," Norris concluded.

As for Piastri, he added: "The team returned strongly last week, and now we're ready to do it all again this weekend in Monza.

"We've gone over our learnings from Zandvoort to see what we can take through to this weekend as we have a very quick car, which makes it even more exciting.

"I've raced in Monza a few times in the junior series," the Australian said, "and it's one a lot of us enjoy due to how fast it is. I'm very much looking forward to racing in front of the Italian fans once again as it brings such a good atmosphere.

"We have a great opportunity to finish the double header in the best way possible," Piastri concluded.

Andrea Stella, McLaren's Team Principal, is relishing the great product his team have delivered, the MCL38 which is currently the best car on the Formula 1 grid, and insists his team keep their feet on the ground as they tackle the upcoming race, as well as the remainder of the season.

Stella said in McLaren's Monza preview: "After an incredibly strong result from Lando and Oscar in Zandvoort, we now immediately turn our attention to the upcoming race weekend. The Italian Grand Prix is one of the most awaited races on the calendar.

"The team have built and delivered a car that is proving to be extremely competitive," he hailed. "We have everything in place to perform well, but we need to make sure we remain grounded and consistently improve to put us in the best position to keep fighting for wins and podiums.

"We know this won't be easy, but we are extremely motivated for the remaining races of the season," the Italian concluded.