Norris: McLaren’s Mexico qualifying hinges on execution

After sitting out FP1, where Leonardo Fornaroli deputised for him, Lando Norris finished second-fastest in FP2 behind Charles Leclerc. Ahead of qualifying, he said execution would be decisive: the MCL40 remained tricky to drive and the field was tightly matched.

McLaren director of racing Randy Singh said the top four teams were separated by very small gaps. He said managing power-unit and brake temperatures would be crucial for the rest of the weekend, especially in race traffic.

“The pace is definitely there,” Norris said. He added that McLaren still had plenty to work on overnight, but that the team had foundations to build on.