Fifth in Japan, Lando Norris highlights McLaren’s progress while remaining aware of the room for improvement that still exists.
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Lando Norris crossed the finish line of the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix in fifth position, behind his teammate Oscar Piastri, who drove a solid race that allowed him to finish on the podium.
The Briton praised the young Australian’s performance: “Clearly, Oscar had an excellent race today. On my side, I even managed to catch the Ferrari at the end. In clean air, the car was incredibly performant here. Oscar controlled things perfectly from the beginning.”
Both McLaren drivers particularly shone at the start, with Norris delighted to rediscover that feeling of being at the front of the pack.
“We both got very good starts, it was nice. It was good to be first and third and to relive that feeling.”
Positive signals but areas for improvement
For McLaren, this top 5 is an encouraging indicator of the team’s progress, even if Norris remains clear-headed about the points that can still be improved.
“There are many positive signals for us as a team. Being able to get such a solid result when we know we are still lacking in several areas is encouraging. Finishing second and fifth is positive.”
He adds that this performance should also serve as an internal message to maintain the team’s motivation: “Today was a good day for us as a team, to give everyone a good boost and tell them to keep working.”
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Norris insists, however, that this success is also due to the specificities of Suzuka: “Even if we didn’t change many things this weekend, it’s mainly that the circuit suited us. We clearly managed to get more out of it, especially on energy management, the battery and the engine. These are good signs.”
Despite this positive observation, he recalls that difficulties persist: “But not everything is settled yet, some things remain complicated. We both have the same complaints about the car and the difficulties encountered. But we are moving in the right direction, and it’s a very good start.”
Still looking for comfort behind the wheel
On a personal level, Norris admits he is not yet totally comfortable at the wheel of his McLaren, notably due to the lack of running in free practice sessions.
“I still don’t feel as comfortable as I would like in the car. It’s not an excuse, but it’s partly due to the lack of running I had in Practice.”
He also highlights the challenges encountered in the race: “Some things today were related to tire degradation and battery management. Others stem from the fact that we have to find solutions in real-time, rather than having been able to test them on Friday.”
Despite these points to improve, this top 5 at Suzuka confirms that McLaren is progressing and that the team has a solid base for the next rounds of the season.
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