Norris sees room for improvement despite promising practice in Australia

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Lando Norris, McLaren's promising star, reflected on "too many inconsistencies" that surfaced during low fuel runs, even as he posted solid times during the initial day of practice in Australia. Despite the hurdles, the Briton remains a favorite for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

At the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Norris initially set the pace during the first practice session. However, it was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who secured the top position in the second practice session (FP2), with Norris trailing in third place, just behind his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

While acknowledging a positive start in Melbourne, Norris identified areas needing improvement in the MCL39 ahead of Saturday's Qualifying session, particularly focusing on low fuel performance. "So-so," Norris characterized his experience on track, commenting, "It's been a good start to the weekend. We’ve got a good baseline, but certainly not happy or confident with the car in terms of finding the best balance and being consistent enough, especially on low fuel."

Norris indicated that high fuel performance felt strong, yet inconsistencies resembled those faced in Bahrain, presenting a potential challenge. He remarked, "I feel like [on the] high fuel, I felt good, [but] just low fuel, similar to Bahrain – too many inconsistencies, too many problems, so a bit of a struggle.”

When queried about McLaren's chances for a successful season, Norris anticipated a tight competition. "I don’t know what positive means, but I think we’ll be strong," he suggested, alluding to competitive performances from Ferrari and Mercedes as well. "We’ll wait and see," he added.

For local hero Oscar Piastri, the atmosphere was more optimistic, describing Friday as "pretty encouraging" after exiting his car. Piastri felt the underlying pace was "solid," albeit with some tweaks necessary for improving the car's comfort. "I think the pace was pretty solid, still a few things to try and iron out to make the car feel a bit nicer," he said.

Piastri reflected on the uncertain conditions ahead in Melbourne but relished his strong start. "I’m pretty happy with the day’s work. I think it’s going to be pretty different for the next two days, so how much today means, we don’t know, but it feels pretty good.”

Facing the prospect of racing in front of his home fans, Piastri maintained a measured outlook on podium finishes due to changing weather conditions. "It’s hard to say," he noted. Still, Piastri remained optimistic about McLaren's potential, stating, "The underlying pace of the car seems strong."

Acknowledging the speed of Ferrari and Mercedes, Piastri emphasized McLaren's ambitious outlook: "Things are looking good, but we don’t want to just try and aim for the podium, we want to aim for the top step."

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