Lando Norris: McLaren struggle in Formula 1 season due to radical car overhaul

McLaren's recent roller-coaster performances in the Formula 1 season can be attributed to the team's ambitious decision to create a "whole new car" for the second half of the championship, according to Lando Norris.

After a lacklustre start to the season, where scoring points was an uphill battle for McLaren, a series of mid-season upgrades significantly improved the performance of the MCL60. This transformation allowed Norris to secure consecutive second-place finishes in both Britain and Hungary.

However, the team faced setbacks at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, as Norris struggled to match the top-end pace of other cars.

Addressing the issue with media, Norris stated, "I don't think we had optimal wing settings." He also explained that the team's attention had been fully focused on developing the new car, which was the right approach, considering the rarity of races requiring such low downforce.

While reflecting on McLaren's relative underperformance at Spa-Francorchamps, Norris displayed a pragmatic outlook. He emphasized that it was better to be competitive at certain circuits than none at all, as was the case earlier in the season.

"All of our focus was on just trying to deliver the new car that we've had a few weeks ago, and that's clearly delivered us two podiums," said Norris, looking on the bright side.

Acknowledging that McLaren had outperformed Mercedes in the last two races on merit, Norris remained realistic about the team's overall standing. "I'm happy that we've had some good weekends, but we're not where we need to be. We're not racing with Mercedes - they're clearly another step ahead of us still," he admitted.

As Formula 1 heads into its summer break, the sport will return for the Dutch Grand Prix on 28 August at Circuit Zandvoort. It remains to be seen if the McLaren team's car can continue with the upward trajectory and challenge the front-runners.