Norris: Things can always change

Asked by Racer if he expected McLaren to improve next season, the 19-year-old replied, “No one knows. I guess they have decent ideas of things that they’re working on, bits they’re trying to improve. All those little things which they’ve had a lot of data to say it’s better, but things can always change."

"Sometimes it looks good in the wind tunnel and in all the aero mapping, and then you get to the track and it does something slightly different to what you expect. Of course, they’re confident they’re making the right changes, there’s been quite a lot of changes in the team and how they’re approaching things and approaching the work for next year and the development.

“I think they are focusing on making 100 percent sure they know things are going to be for the good — not kind of like this year and maybe not end up so good. I think they’re focusing more on making sure something is 100 percent better rather than just going: it looks like it’s going to be better and maybe putting it on, something like that. I think they have a much better understanding, but time will tell.”

While development of the 2019 car has been ongoing for some time, Norris says his own input has been limited because he was focusing on FP1 runs toward the end of this season.

“I think a lot more is going to happen over the winter. Of course, a lot of the work’s already been done. I haven’t tested the car for next year yet. I’ve obviously tested little bits, and things throughout the season — of course, there’s always development for this year’s car.

“There were a couple of things I was testing for next year, but not too much. I think Rudy [van Buren], Nyck [de Vries], Ollie Turvey, I think they’ve done a lot more than I have lately, because I’ve been doing FP1s and so on for the development for next year.”

The prospect of Fernando Alonso testing for the team, despite having retired from Formula 1, is logical from Norris' perspective, "I think it’ll be very valuable. He’s obviously got the best idea of how the car’s changed over the years, the best experience of what’s good and what’s bad – a lot more than I do."

“Obviously I don’t know what’s going to happen. He still is part of McLaren, I guess a lot is up to him. Of course I would like to have as many days [in the car] as possible but if everyone comes to a decision and thinks it’s for the good of the whole team and his feedback would be just as important as mine or Carlos’, then I think it’s a good thing."

"But I think there’s a long way to go until we see what he wants to do and if he wants to get in an F1 car again," added Norris who took part in seven FP1 sessions this past season.

The British youngster has his work cut out for him, Formula 1 can be unkind to young stars with big hype behind them, indeed Stoffel Vandoorne who he replaces at McLaren was once highly rated, but awful race cars provided to him from the factory in Woking destroyed a promising career in the top flight.

Next season, Norris partners Carlos Sainz at the team, ushering in fresh talent to replace the old but if the lads are given another lemon to drive, it will just be a matter of time until the pair are thrown onto the compost heap like their predecessors: Vandoorne, Kevin Magnussen, Sergio Perez, Heikki Kovalainen...

https://www.grandprix247.com/2018/12/05/brown-mclaren-are-now-on-the-road-to-recovery/