P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren needs "two big steps" to catch F1 rivals Ferrari and Red Bull
McLaren finished the Bahrain season opener as the fourth-fastest team, considerably trailing Red Bull and Ferrari in terms of race pace while closely following Mercedes. According to Norris, McLaren will need to take two significant steps to catch up first to Ferrari, and then to the dominating Red Bull. Norris believes that while catching up to Ferrari seems achievable this year, it will vary by track. Despite Red Bull’s dominance, Norris anticipates Ferrari putting pressure on them occasionally, especially given Leclerc’s impressive lap times. Team principal Stella is optimistic about McLaren’s competitiveness against Ferrari and Mercedes, but awaits further assessment after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for a clearer picture of their performance in 2024. McLaren’s key focus remains on improving low-speed performance, with recent overall speed enhancements indicating progress across all speed ranges.
