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Norris Struggles with Instinctive Driving, Says McLaren Boss
Andrea Stella, head of McLaren, has expressed concern that Lando Norris is still grappling with instinctive driving during the 2025 Formula 1 season, particularly following a crash in the qualifying round for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
During his initial attempt in the Q3 qualifying, Norris collided with the barriers after losing control of his MCL39 at Turn 5, forcing him to settle for 10th on the grid. The incident occurred as he navigated the challenging kerbs, resulting in Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ultimately securing the pole position with a narrow margin over Norris’ teammate, Oscar Piastri.
The mishap further emphasizes a narrative that the 25-year-old driver is experiencing a dip in form, especially as McLaren has made strides in car performance. However, these improvements may have inadvertently introduced difficulties for Norris, compromising his ability to evenly drive at the limits of the vehicle.
After a disappointing performance in Bahrain the previous weekend, where Norris appeared to lack confidence in his car, he showed better composure at the Jeddah circuit before his qualifying crash. Stella confirmed that Norris had improved in terms of the car’s handling, yet he still seemed to be lacking that critical percentage of synergy between his expectations and the car’s response at the edge of performance.
“Lando this weekend was definitely quite competitive. Every single session, every set of tyres, he put together good laps,” Stella noted in an interview with Autosport, reflecting on the circumstances surrounding the crash. “But in Q3, when Lando attempts to extract just a bit more speed, the car reacts in a way that doesn’t match his expectations.”
“This combination of factors resulted in an unexpected handling response. The car understeered in Turn 4, which caused him to hit the outside kerb, known to be quite punishing,” he added. “While improvements made the car generally faster, they also took away some predictability, especially when Lando pushes it to the limit.”
Stella also compared Norris’ current challenges to those faced by Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion who is similarly struggling to maximize his performance in one-lap scenarios, recently expressing relief at achieving seventh place on the grid despite being behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
As Verstappen continued to set high-speed records at Jeddah, Stella contended that the current crop of F1 cars has become “too fast to think,” emphasizing the necessity for drivers to form an instinctive connection with their vehicles. “Drivers must adopt a highly natural driving style, as these cars demand quick decision-making without second-guessing,” he explained. “This sentiment is echoed even by Hamilton. When he remarks on needing a natural approach to driving, it speaks volumes about the current challenges faced by various drivers.”
He further stated, “For Norris, not being able to draw out the anticipated performance is frustrating, and as a team, it is our obligation to provide him with a car that aligns with his exceptional talent, aiding in correcting these handling issues to restore his confidence and comfort.”
Source
www.autosport.com