McLaren Focuses on Upgrades for Norris at Austrian GP
McLaren’s strategic upgrades at the Austrian Grand Prix aim to enhance Lando Norris’ performance in the MCL39, addressing his ongoing challenges with car handling. Teammate Oscar Piastri currently leads the championship, showcasing the potential of the team’s capabilities.
Norris has expressed difficulty in maximizing the car’s performance compared to Piastri, prompting McLaren’s engineering team to tailor upgrades based on his feedback. Technical Director Neil Houldey remarked, “We’ve got a good understanding of what he needs to improve the car, and some of the upgrades have been biased towards his comments.”
The Red Bull Ring upgrades include new suspension and aerodynamic components designed to facilitate better communication between the driver and tires. Houldey noted, “It’s about Lando being able to feel the tires on the limit a little bit better. We’ve made small kinematic adjustments that we believe will improve his experience.”
Earlier adjustments made in Canada contribute to this effort, with Houldey explaining that confidence from previous races allowed the team to safely implement these changes. He emphasized, “We were concerned in one area, but we determined it wasn’t an issue during the season, enabling us to trade off various elements to find optimal performance.”
While the new parts are also available to Piastri, he has the option to retain the previous configuration if the upgrades do not yield a clear performance benefit for him.
As the season progresses, McLaren remains committed to refining the MCL39 to enhance Norris’ competitiveness and performance on the track.
