British driver Lando Norris believes his McLaren can improve to become the car to beat this year despite a horror 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 under the sport’s new rules era. Both cars failed even to start the last race in China.
Even so, McLaren are third in the overall standings, a massive 80 points behind leaders Mercedes and 49 behind 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. I’m confident we can get back to doing that this year,” Norris said at the Suzuka circuit ahead of the this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
“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 he will draw confidence from the remarkable turnaround McLaren staged to win the constructors’ crown in 2024.
“I can’t remember how many points we were behind in 2024 from Mercedes and Red Bull, Ferrari. Bbut I think we were over 150 points or something behind and we still managed to come back and win the constructors’,” said Norris.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton said he is training harder than any other driver on the grid as he "dedicates absolutely everything" to winning a record eighth world championship.
The 41-year-old heads into this weekend's Japanese GP in Suzuka off the back of claiming his first Ferrari podium after he finished third in China a fortnight ago.
Hamilton endured a horror first season at Ferrari following his move from Mercedes. At one stage he described himself as "useless" and even called on the Italian giants to replace him with another driver.
However, Hamilton has been revitalised by the smaller, lighter, nimbler generation of cars which resemble a throwback to his glory years in the sport.
Asked about rediscovering his best form, Hamilton, 18 points behind Mercedes' George Russell in the championship standings, said: "I personally don't find it a relief.
"It is just a change of attitude and not letting all the BS that comes out of people's mouths get in the way of knowing who I am and what I am able to do. And hopefully you saw that in the last two races, and particularly the last race.
"I have not lost what I have had, and regardless of people who write that, I will continue to show up and train harder than ever. I was in Tokyo between this race and the last race. I ran 100 kilometres, and I know none of the drivers I am racing against have trained as hard as I am and giving it what I am, especially at my age.
"And I love that, that I still have that drive to push myself. I was at the hotel and several drivers walked in and I had finished my run, and I knew they were just getting up. The commitment is there more than ever, and I will dedicate absolutely everything I have to this challenge and these cars."
