Lando Norris says McLaren still not where they want but a lot of potential ahead of Japan
F1 Drivers NewsThursday, 26 March 2026 at 10:48
Reigning World Champion Lando Norris admitted McLaren are still falling short of expectations after a troubled start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, despite insisting the car has the potential to return to the front.
Speaking during Thursday’s drivers’ press conference ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Norris addressed both McLaren’s early struggles and the wider issues shaping the new era of Formula 1.
His comments come against the backdrop of a disrupted opening phase for McLaren, including the double non start in China that exposed underlying reliability concerns.
Norris acknowledged the setback: “Of course it hurt us as a team, certainly didn’t make us look good to have two cars not starting a race. I think what hurt more is the fact it was out of our control.”
He added: “With HPP we’ve worked hard to figure things out, to understand how it happened, why it happened, and of course we’ll do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
That episode has left McLaren chasing track time as much as performance, with valuable mileage lost in the early stages of the campaign.
Norris: You can’t have the best of everything
Despite the setbacks, Norris was clear that the foundations remain strong, even if results have not followed: “The car has a lot of potential. We’re certainly not where we wanted to be, but you can’t have the best of everything.”
That blunt assessment reflects a team still recalibrating after last season’s success, now facing stronger competition from rivals who have started the year in better shape. Norris continued: “We’re still third best team at the minute, but we certainly enjoy being first a lot more than third.”
He pointed to ongoing development as the key to unlocking that potential: “We’ve got some things in the pipeline and like I said everyone’s working hard, so we’re ambitious to get back to the top.”
The message is consistent. McLaren believe they have the tools, but not yet the execution.
Norris also addressed the ongoing debate around energy management and its impact on both qualifying and racing under the 2026 regulations.
Norris: It’s a different world
On the FIA’s latest tweak to qualifying energy recharge, he struck a cautious tone: “It’s different. I need to go out and drive with it first. It should be a little bit better here, but it’s not like it’s going to change the whole world.”
That measured response reflects uncertainty across the grid, with drivers still adapting to a system that prioritises energy deployment over pure flat out performance.
Suzuka, traditionally one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar, could see that balance shift further.
“There’ll certainly be some places where it just won’t be as spectacular. You’ll start clipping into Spoon… It’s a different world," Norris warned.
At the same time, he acknowledged the unintended spectacle created by the current system, particularly the so called “yo yo” racing effect: “You just use your battery and the next straight you have no battery. The thing is it looks great on TV and the viewers seem to love it.”
But from the cockpit, the experience is less convincing: “Some of that racing is because the guy who overtakes then has absolutely zero battery and you’re just a complete passenger and you can’t do anything.”
Reality check for McLaren
While critical of certain aspects, Norris stopped short of calling for a return to previous regulations, instead backing gradual refinement: “There’s potential in what we have, it just needs tweaking and alterations.”
The core issue, in his view, is the imbalance between power delivery and energy depletion: “We have a lot more power than we had last year when it is there. It just goes away too quickly.”
That creates scenarios where drivers are unable to defend positions after overtaking, undermining the competitive integrity of wheel to wheel battles.
Norris summed up the situation with a clear message: patience is required, but so is action. He concluded: “We’re not in a position where I think it’s as good as it can be, but we’ll give it time.”
For McLaren, that timeline applies both to the car and the regulations. The potential is there, but until it is realised, the team remain stuck chasing rather than leading.
Whatever the case, the reality check is alarming. Last year this time, McLaren led the Constructors Championship standings on 78 points; this year, they have 18 points on the board, but Oscar Piastri has still to complete a lap in a Grand Prix this year.
(Reporting by Agnes Carlier from Suzuka)
(Reporting by Agnes Carlier from Suzuka)
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