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Lando Norris has admitted that McLaren were in a woeful state during the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP. The Briton finished the race in P17, unable to score points for the second race in a row.
The Woking-based team is currently at the bottom of the standings and is yet to score its first points of the season.
McLaren's 2023 challenger is nowhere compared to the rest of the midfield, resulting in poor results for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The MCL60 suffers from high drag, making driving difficult for both drivers. Norris was unable to overtake a Williams, despite having DRS, due to issues with his car.
The Briton, known for his consistent results, lost out to his new teammate and 2023 rookie Piastri towards the end of the race. Norris was quick to admit that the team is not where they need to be, given the stiff competition from other teams.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Lando Norris said:
"I definitely think we are worst today. Our strengths and weaknesses clearly just aren't in the right places. I don't even say we're good in the corners, but we're way too slow in the straights. We can't use what we have in the corners at high speed so I can get close but we just can't do anything more than that."
Jenson Button believes Lando Norris should be in a 'winning car'
According to former F1 champion Jenson Button, for Lando Norris to make a significant impact in the sport, he needs to be driving a superior car.
Button pointed out that promising young racers such as Max Verstappen, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc have already achieved success with top-tier teams that offer them the chance to contend for championship titles.
Nevertheless, the 23-year-old is still waiting for an opportunity to drive a McLaren car capable of winning championships. Expressing his concern over Norris' situation at the British team, Jenson Button told Sky Sports:
"I was surprised when he signed a long-term deal, because in this war, you don't know who is in the front, and you need to be in a winning car. Your talent is not enough to bring a car to the front. You can help them develop, but you need to be in a competitive car to win races.
"And McLaren have not given him that, they are doing well, but at this point of his career, he needs to be in a winning car."
With the Woking-based team looking worse than ever, it will be interesting to follow their 2023 campaign.
