Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Photo: Race Pictures

McLaren in danger? Norris admits disarming Red Bull truth

08:26, 24 Sep

bySamson Ero

Lando Norris has delivered a worrying admission as he weighed in on the McLaren team's pace in comparison to Red Bull at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The British driver also detailed what he noticed as he was stuck behind the Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda during the Baku race.

Lando Norris during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Photo: Race Pictures

“There were clearly some areas where they were just another level to us.”

- Lando Norris

Norris, who spoke to the media following his outing at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, admitted that the Red Bull team were dominant at the Baku Street race. The 25-year-old also hinted at the team being on what he dubs ‘another level’ through much of the weekend.

“We struggled a bit here. Monza, clearly, we're not quick enough. We've made improvements. The Red Bull have been so good and dominant in the past, they still have, and today, when I was following the Red Bull, there were clearly some areas where they were just another level to us, and we need to understand why.”

Quizzed further about the struggles of the McLaren outfit at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Norris continued:

“I don't think there were big struggles. I think on the ultimate pace, we were still not bad this weekend. I was so quick in FP1, FP2, and FP3. It was a normal quality, the tricky conditions, the water yesterday, and the little bit of rain going out first on the track, all added up to making it the worst weekend.”

Norris: McLaren doesn't have the pace of the Red Bull

Lando Norris also offered some subtle worrying admission while he reacted to the victory of the Red Bull team and Max Verstappen. The championship contender stressed that the McLaren team were off the pace of the Austrian outfit through the Baku weekend.

“Our position today, if I started second I think I would have finished second so I don't think we had the pace of Red Bull honestly that was very very clear but I think just the lower downforce tracks we still seem to struggle we still have the confidence we need can be quick we just we're not able to repeat it as often as we need to and as often as the Red Bull for example”

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will go down as one to quickly forget for Norris and the McLaren team. Aside from Norris finishing the race in seventh place, the Woking-based outfit also witnessed driver Oscar Piastri suffer a crash on the opening lap of the Grand Prix.

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