Norris resets after Bahrain disappointment, focuses on Saudi Arabia GP

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

McLaren’s Lando Norris has revealed that he took a three-day break to "reset" following a frustrating finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix, where he struggled to third place despite the high expectations surrounding his championship campaign. While the British driver remains atop the standings ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri, challenges with his car are keeping him from finding the consistency he enjoyed last season.

Piastri’s stellar performance in Bahrain, which included pole position and an authoritative victory, has tightened the championship gap between the McLaren duo from 23 to just three points heading into the fifth round in Saudi Arabia. Despite the mounting pressure, Norris expressed optimism about his prospects for improvement as the season progresses.

"I mean I needed a couple of days off, I needed a reset," Norris said candidly ahead of this weekend’s race in Jeddah. "I probably would have liked a few more days altogether, but I made the most of my three days relaxing, kind of getting away from a little bit. But at the same time, I think with every athlete's mind and every driver's mind, as much as you try and get away, you're still thinking of a lot of things."

The 24-year-old emphasized his mixed reflections on the season so far, acknowledging the struggles but also appreciating his strong start. "It's still been a very good start to the year. Yes, I know I could have been better, but still leading the championship after not being happy, after not feeling comfortable in the car, it's still a start to the year that I would have dreamed of before the season started," Norris said.

Norris noted his difficulty finding a rhythm with this year’s car compared to the confidence he had in the McLaren machine last season. The 2023 car doesn’t seem to suit his driving style as well, leaving him grappling with a lack of certainty in qualifying and race performance.

"My level of confidence was very high at the end of last season," Norris explained. "Not for any other reason but I just understood the car, I understood how to drive it and I could go out and execute things perfectly. Now I cannot just because my feelings are not there, my way of driving is not suited at all. I just hate not being able to know how I'm going to go out and perform in the qualifying lap."

Despite these challenges, Norris remains cautiously optimistic about turning things around. "The fact that I'm still leading the championship, the fact that the start of the year has not been dreadful probably gives me more hope than anything else that if I can get things to click and move in the right direction... I'm hopeful that I can start to become much stronger."

With the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix looming, Norris aims to harness his impressive start to the season while addressing the technical and personal hurdles holding him back. As McLaren solidifies itself as a top contender, the attention is squarely on Norris to deliver results and regain the form that transformed him into an unexpected challenger to Max Verstappen in 2024.

All eyes will be on Jeddah as the two McLaren drivers battle for supremacy in what is shaping up to be an electrifying season for the Woking-based team.

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