MOTOR RACING: McLaren can be best car this year, says champion Norris

Briton Lando Norris believes his McLaren can improve enough to become the car to beat this year, despite a bruising start to the season for the reigning Formula One drivers’ and constructors’ champions.

The Woking-based team, constructors’ champions for the last two years, have struggled for both speed and reliability over the opening two races of the sport’s new rules era, with both cars failing even to start the last race in China.

Still, they are third in the overall standings, albeit 80 points behind leaders Mercedes and 49 adrift of second-placed Ferrari.

“We’ve won the last two championships and we won the drivers’ last year because we could build the best car on the grid, and I’m confident we can get back to doing that this year,” Norris told reporters at the Suzuka circuit ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix on Thursday.

“You have to be patient. But yes, I have a good belief in the team and I think we can have the best car this year,” added the 26-year-old, who finished fifth in the Australian season opener and fourth in China’s sprint.

Norris said his belief stemmed from the remarkable turnaround McLaren staged to win the constructors’ standings in 2024.

“I can’t remember how many points we were behind in 2024 from Mercedes and Red Bull, Ferrari, but I think we were over 150 points or something behind and we still managed to come back and win the constructors’,” said Norris.

His teammate Oscar Piastri echoed those sentiments.

“I think we all have that taste of success now,” said the Australian who also failed to start his home race but finished sixth in the China sprint. And we want to get back to where we belong.”

-Reporting by Abhishek Takle in Suzuka, editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters