Lando Norris, the British driver for McLaren, is considering a different approach to maximize the potential of the team’s Formula 1 cars during qualifying sessions. In the highly competitive 2024 season, where the top five Constructors are separated by small margins, securing a good grid position has become crucial for drivers’ chances in the race. Norris openly criticized his performance in the previous season, admitting that he missed several opportunities to secure pole positions and even described his work as subpar. He attributes his struggles to the current ground effect cars and the rule changes that have made it difficult for him to attack in the same way he did with the previous specification cars. He expressed his desire to push harder in qualifying but acknowledged that he needs to adopt a contrasting approach due to the characteristics of the tires and their car. Norris recognizes that he needs to adapt quickly and improve his performance, but also acknowledges that the McLaren car presents its own challenges, making it difficult to consistently achieve a perfect qualifying lap. The team is actively working on addressing these issues.
Norris discussed a lack of sensation behind the wheel of the McLaren coinciding with the rule change and is still trying to comprehend the most effective way to adjust his approach on the track.
“If you ask me now, ‘how do I navigate a slow turn’, I have no clue,” he continued. “One day it’s like this; the next day it’s like that. I struggle with the confidence of knowing exactly how to improve in all situations.
“When it does click, it clicks, and I can have a good qualifying session. But yeah, I just lost a bit of that feeling over the past couple of years of going out in qualifying and attacking and putting in the laps that I want to put in.
“It’s difficult to restrain myself from pushing and being aggressive when you’re competitive and you want to go for a better lap.”
Last season, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella advised Norris to drive at 99% during qualifying; but Norris believes his difficulties are not solely tied to his approach.
“It’s like I can’t even drive at 100%,” he added. “Driving at 100% only works one lap in 10.
“So, when you want to go into Q3 and put your best lap on, it might be that one lap you have to drive at 98% all of a sudden. It’s just a complex thing, and difficult to be on the edge.
“Depending on a slight change in wind speed, or the tires being slightly hotter or colder, it alters how much you’re able to push in every single corner. So, you have to take these things into consideration.
“Like, okay, the wind has changed by this small amount, it means I have to brake one meter earlier and you have to do this. And it isn’t an easy thing to constantly be aware of.
“It’s something I’m working on, something I’ve improved a bit over the past couple of weeks. Last weekend [in Australia] was a bit more of an indication, the first indication of, okay, when it clicks, this is what we can achieve.”
Although simulator work could help resolve the issues, Norris admits that it could be challenging without replicating the emotional aspect of a real qualifying session.
“It’s tough, because it doesn’t always correlate perfectly,” said Norris regarding the work that can be done in the simulator back in Woking.
“There are certain techniques and skills of trying to drive in a relaxed manner. Those are the kind of things you can practice on the simulator.
“But recreating that exact emotion of when you’re in the car, and you’re going for a qualifying lap, it’s not easy to replicate such a thing on a simulator.
“It’s a bit of trial and error, of just trying to make it a normal part of the process. The thing is when I drive, I drive so instinctively, that the less I think about driving, the better I drive.
“If I just go out, and I’m observing the grandstands, that’s when I usually perform better. But I naturally just go out and push.
“So, when you have to try and change your subconscious and try to just relax, it’s not an easy thing to change. That’s something that develops over the years. And it’s not easy to just revert back to.
“It has just slipped away from me probably over the past year and a bit: the previous regulations made it easier to drive and find the limit.
“Every day is a new day, there are always new challenges and new problems. But that’s part of it; it’s the same for everyone. I just think that at times it’s been difficult with our car.
“But my responsibility as a driver is to do the best I can in adapting to it myself as well.”