McLaren's Lando Norris confident of overtaking Aston Martin in Constructors' Championship chase

McLaren have been on an impressive upward trajectory, defying the odds after a challenging start to the Formula 1 season with the MCL60 car. Their recent success at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri secured a historic double podium, has bolstered their bid to close the gap on Aston Martin, who currently occupy the coveted fourth spot.

Aston Martin's fortunes, on the other hand, have taken a nosedive in recent races, allowing McLaren to trim the deficit to a mere 49 points. Interestingly, it's been Fernando Alonso who has been carrying the scoring burden for Aston Martin in the past few events, with Lance Stroll failing to collect any points since the Belgian Grand Prix.

Norris believes that McLaren's advantage lies in their ability to consistently have both of their drivers accumulating points, a luxury not enjoyed by many teams on the grid. When asked about McLaren's chances of surpassing Aston Martin by season's end, Norris confidently responded, "Yes. I didn't think it was that close. But yeah, if it's 49 [points] then I definitely think so. There are not many races left."

He continued, "I'm sure there's going to be a couple where Aston is going to be a bit stronger. But I think our advantage at the minute compared to almost every team, bar a couple, is we have two drivers who are up there fighting for these positions and fighting for these points."

This unity within the McLaren camp allows them to collaborate and strategise effectively during races. Norris emphasized, "Not every team has that at the minute. So I think that's helping us. We can help one another, we can use one another, and I think that's a good advantage we have over a lot of other teams at the minute. So we're on an upward trend."

McLaren's resurgence has been fuelled by the introduction of two significant upgrades during the season, propelling them up the competitive order after initially languishing towards the back of the grid. 

Norris expressed his pride in the team's progress, saying, "We're making good progress, and days like today prove exactly that. Even though I know there's going to be maybe some tougher races coming up at times and maybe not as straightforward as [Japan]."

He added, "The progress we've made this season has been pretty incredible from my eyes and from where we were, to finishing 18 seconds behind the lead or 19 seconds is I think evidence of exactly that. So I'm proud of everyone, and we'll keep pushing."

As the Formula 1 season charges forward, the next stop is the Qatar Grand Prix, slated for the weekend of October 6-8. The race will take place at the Losail International Circuit, a permanent venue located just outside of Lusail, north of Doha. 

With McLaren's determination and their dynamic duo of Norris and Piastri consistently racking up points, the battle for fourth place in the Constructors' Championship promises to be a thrilling spectacle for Formula 1 fans worldwide.

 

Read More: McLaren surge ahead: Faster Formula 1 car stuns Mercedes (planetsport.com)