Lando Norris and McLaren experienced a dramatic shift in performance during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, finishing sixth on the starting grid after a challenging Q3 session. Despite showing front-running pace earlier in the weekend, Norris admitted that his car lacked the necessary speed to compete consistently.
From Q2 Success to Q3 Reality
Norris established himself as a contender by finishing second fastest on Friday and leading the final practice session. He then set the pace in Q2 with what he called a rare and magical lap, though he could not replicate that performance when it mattered most. Team mate Oscar Piastri faced even greater challenges, exiting the session in Q2 after qualifying 13th.
According to Norris, nothing slipped away during the final session. He explained that his Q2 lap was phenomenal given the limitations of the car, and pointed out that Piastri’s difficulties highlighted how hard it is to extract performance from the vehicle. While he felt satisfied with sixth place, he noted that repeating a peak performance was nearly impossible.
Norris remarked that the team’s occasional flashes of speed create false expectations. He stated that every now and then he manages a magical lap that gives everyone hope, only for the reality of the car’s true pace to reappear in Q3.
Struggles with Consistency
Describing the process of chasing a perfect lap, Norris noted that drivers must constantly keep trying without knowing when conditions will align. He cited an example from Turn 12 during his Q2 run where an advantageous headwind provided a significant time gain, whereas trying to take the exact same corner at the same speed on a subsequent run caused him to lose the rear and drop time.
Norris added that watching onboard footage of rival cars often leaves him baffled as to how McLaren manages to find speed at all. He concluded that while sporadic hope exists when things momentarily click, predicting those moments remains impossible.
When questioned about where McLaren loses time compared to competitors, Norris offered a blunt assessment. He stated that the team loses ground in every single corner, pointing to GPS data showing a deficit of two-tenths of a second in the opening three turns alone. He noted that the only corner where he feels strong is Turn 7.
