P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lando Norris believes McLaren can contest consistent podium finishes in Formula 1 in 2024 once the team rectifies its “significant”
Lando Norris secured McLaren’s first podium finish in Australia in a decade, while teammate Oscar Piastri came in fourth, marking the team’s best season start since 2012. Both drivers expressed optimism that the McLaren MCL38 had the pace to challenge Ferrari throughout the race weekend. Despite initially falling behind Charles Leclerc after pit stops, Norris believed their performance was on par with, if not better than, Ferrari’s. Piastri also noted their ability to keep up with Ferrari as a positive surprise and indicated confidence for future races. McLaren’s focus lies on enhancing slow-speed cornering performance to close the gap with top-tier teams like Red Bull and Ferrari on various track configurations. Looking ahead to the upcoming Suzuka circuit, Norris highlighted their strength in high-speed corners and the need to fine-tune slow-speed cornering to consistently contend for podium finishes.
