P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Norris: Don’t judge McLaren on Bahrain F1 performance
McLaren faced challenges in the past two Bahrain Grand Prix editions due to reliability issues during 2022 testing and a late switch in car philosophy for 2023, putting them behind in development. Despite this, the team started the current season on a more positive note, aiming to maintain their position from the previous season. Team principal Andrea Stella highlighted the need for further development to compete with leading teams like Red Bull.
Driver Lando Norris acknowledged the struggle McLaren has historically faced at the Bahrain circuit, aiming to downplay early judgments of the team’s performance based on the first race of the season. Norris emphasized the importance of analyzing multiple races to accurately assess each team’s standing. He noted the improvements made with the new car, MCL38, over its predecessor, the MCL60, and expressed confidence in McLaren’s potential at circuits where they performed well in the past. Despite challenges at Bahrain, Norris remained optimistic about McLaren’s capabilities to excel at other circuits later in the season.
