P1racenews AI automatic summary:
First day, and Lando Norris is smiling. Even though it’s early days, that can only be a good thing.
Lando Norris noted that his latest McLaren felt “pretty different” but still “powerful” and “like a Formula 1 car.”
After delays in the MCL40 build, Norris finally tested the car at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on the third day of private pre-season testing.
He completed 76 laps, with his best at 1:18.307s, just under a second behind the leading lap set by Mercedes’ George Russell.
Norris acknowledged the acclimatization process to F1’s redesigned cars, especially the 50-50 split power unit.
He found the new car “a bit slower in cornering speeds” but quicker in acceleration and straight-line speed, presenting both challenges and complexity to understand.
Norris sees the testing in Barcelona as the first step in a long road to Bahrain and beyond, aiming to gather vital information for the team.
