Formula 1 will have one of the main title contenders starting at a disadvantage in the Belgian GP. Lando Norris will receive a ten-place grid penalty, but believes that McLaren can turn the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps into a recovery opportunity.
Read more F1: Hulkenberg mocks rumors about Sainz at Audi
This confidence from the driver is based on a well-known history in the category. Traditionally, Spa is considered one of the best circuits to serve penalties related to car components, thanks to the many overtaking opportunities along the more than seven kilometers of the track.
McLaren chose to install a fourth control electronics unit on Norris’s car, taking advantage of the reliability updates introduced by Mercedes HPP. According to the 2026 regulations, each driver can use three units without penalty, while the first additional change results in a ten-place grid drop.
Both Norris and Oscar Piastri will use a new internal combustion engine this weekend. However, this replacement remains within the allowed quota and will not incur any penalty.
Asked about the possibility of minimizing the damage, the British driver admitted that there are still doubts about how overtaking will work at Spa: “We will have to wait and see how overtaking will be. Most people used practically the entire battery until turn 5, at Les Combes, going from almost 100% to zero, so there is not much use for the battery. We need to wait and see,” he said.
Read more F1: Verstappen has new components in the power unit in Spa
Norris believes his car can offer a slight straight-line advantage compared to rivals starting further back. Still, he acknowledges that overtaking other cars may not be an easy task on the Belgian circuit.
“I think we have a slight speed advantage in a straight line compared to the guys further back, so we should have a good chance, but for overtaking in general, I believe it can be quite difficult here,” he added.
Even cautious, Norris sees Spa as a more favorable choice than other calendar rounds to serve the penalty: “We know it’s better than Zandvoort and better than Hungary to receive penalties. I hope this is not the end of my weekend before it even starts, but I am confident that we can have a good weekend. We’ll wait and see,” concluded the Brit, confident in the strategy adopted by McLaren.
Read more F1: Antonelli changes engine but avoids penalty at the Belgian GP
