Lando Norris made it clear that he wouldn’t change anything about his recent Formula 1 trajectory, even in the face of McLaren’s difficult start in 2026. The Briton stated that he prefers to have won the 2025 title, even with a less competitive car currently.
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The Woking team faces difficulties defending its constructors’ and drivers’ titles after three races this year. McLaren occupies third position with 46 points, 80 behind Mercedes, the season leader.
The complicated start was marked by MCL40 reliability issues, especially at the Chinese GP, when Norris and Oscar Piastri did not start due to distinct electrical failures. In addition, the team also showed a lack of pure performance, falling behind Mercedes and Ferrari.
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Questioned before the Japanese GP, Norris highlighted that the car still has potential and showed his view on the current situation: “The car has a lot of potential. We are not where we wanted to be, but the real question is whether I would prefer to be here having won last year, or have a slightly better car now and not have been champion, and I think you know what my answer would be,” said the Briton.
Even with the difficult scenario, Norris remains confident in recovery, especially with updates planned for the Miami race after the five-week break in the calendar. The Briton emphasized the team’s work and highlighted that, despite being the third force at the moment, the goal remains to return to the top as soon as possible.
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