Norris says strong drives are no longer bringing the same rewards

After the Mexico City Grand Prix, Lando Norris said he still felt he was driving well and putting together some of his best races. Mid-season, he said, that level of driving had brought wins; now it was not being rewarded in the same way because the McLaren was less quick or too easy to make mistakes in.

Norris also said a driver can be forced to stay a little below the limit in a race rather than push at 101% all the time. For some reason, he said, performance seems to return; he felt that happened in Mexico. But he said Mexico suited McLaren and he was not convinced the team would suddenly be strong at tracks where it had struggled.

Norris thought McLaren was still struggling for pace at Baku. He said the car needed improvement at certain tracks and in certain areas, and that he did not want to rely on hope or luck. McLaren knows what it needs to improve, he said, but the work will take time.