Norris concedes McLaren are ‘not quick enough’ in Zandvoort

Lando Norris attributed McLaren’s third-place finish in the Zandvoort Sprint to insufficient pace, particularly in slow-speed corners, despite starting second on the grid. He noted Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was simply faster, with McLaren’s deficit evident as Leclerc overtook on Lap 18. Norris acknowledged the team’s progress but stressed further improvements are needed before qualifying. The outcome highlighted McLaren’s struggle to optimise their car’s performance in the Dutch venue’s demanding layout.

Oscar Piastri, starting fifth, lost position on the opening lap after being outmanoeuvred by Leclerc and struggled to recover, finishing over 10 seconds behind race winner George Russell. Piastri described his start as ‘average’ and admitted both McLaren drivers lacked the necessary pace to compete with the top four. The team’s new upgrade package introduced for the weekend failed to deliver the expected gains, leaving them with limited options ahead of qualifying. Track position proved decisive in the sprint format, compounding McLaren’s challenges.

Norris emphasised McLaren’s strengths in high-speed sections but reiterated their deficit in slower corners, where their performance fell short of expectations. He framed the result as a learning opportunity while urging further development to close the gap to rivals. The team’s ongoing efforts to refine the car’s set-up were acknowledged, though Norris conceded more work is required to match competitors like Ferrari and Mercedes.

With qualifying at 16:00 local time, McLaren face pressure to address their performance shortfalls after a mixed weekend in Zandvoort. The Sprint’s outcome underscored the competitive gap, with Norris and Piastri highlighting areas for improvement. The team’s introduction of an upgrade package did not translate into immediate gains, leaving them with a tight timeline to recover before the main race.