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Norris looks forward to France standard format: 'Chance to improve'

Norris looks forward to France standard format: 'Chance to improve'

18-07-2022 18:57 Last update: 21:39
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GPblog.com

Although McLaren scored better than average during the sprint weekend in Austria, Lando Norris is looking forward to the French Grand Prix where a normal 'weekend format' will apply again. There is opportunity to improve, according to the Briton.

Daniel Ricciardo finished ninth in Austria and was once again back in the points. Norris scored a P7 and that was enough for the team to keep the fight for P4 in the Constructors' Championship exciting. McLaren is namely chased by Alpine. Both teams have 81 points, but thanks to Norris' podium in Italy, they are still ahead. The double points in Austria were therefore more than welcome. With a good feeling, the team now travels to France and Norris thinks that the team can improve there.

Norris expects better preparation

On the McLaren website Norris says: "The fact that we are going back to a standard race weekend in France gives us the opportunity to improve over the free practice sessions. That wasn't possible during the sprint weekend in Austria." The two practice sessions in Austria focused solely on, respectively, qualifying which took place on Friday and the sprint race which took place on Saturday. Norris: "There is still a lot of work to do, but we will fight hard on the track and try to get more points like we did at Paul Ricard last year."

In 2021, the McLaren men finished on P5 and P6 and took eighteen points. Norris then beat his teammate by a difference of eleven seconds. In 2022, Norris is also the favourite within the team. Although the Brit seems to have lost touch with the top six of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari, he is still 47 points above Ricciardo.