P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren needs "two big steps" to catch F1 rivals Ferrari and Red Bull
McLaren finished as the fourth-fastest team at Bahrain’s season opener, trailing behind Red Bull and Ferrari in race pace but gaining on Mercedes. Lando Norris believes McLaren needs two significant improvements to catch up with Ferrari and the leading Red Bull. Norris sees a substantial gap between McLaren and Ferrari, and then another between Ferrari and Red Bull that they must bridge. He remains optimistic about closing the gap to Ferrari this year, expecting to challenge them at certain tracks. Team principal Andrea Stella believes McLaren can reach Ferrari and Mercedes soon, but plans to assess their competitiveness more definitively at the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Key to McLaren’s success will be enhancing their low-speed performance, an area they continue to work on despite showing improvements at every speed.
