Another mishap nearly cost Norris in Zandvoort: 'Team misjudged it'

11:00, 28 Aug 2024
8 Comments

After much talk over the summer break about having issues with his race starts, from pole position, Lando Norris once again could not lead entering the second lap of the Grand Prix. After another poor start however, the British driver could recover and confidently win the second Grand Prix of his career. Norris analysed what went wrong at the start in Zandvoort.

"Not get wheelspin," the now two-time Grand Prix winner quickly pointed out following the Dutch GP. Even as Norris won the race by more than 20 seconds, both McLaren drivers had a bad start to the race and lost positions as a result in the Netherlands.

"Obviously [there is] not [a simple way to fix it] because otherwise I would have done better then. We know what to do, we know what's required to do a perfect start but we're talking about fine margins here. We both didn't get it right, it seems, like maybe there was more of an underlying issue or something. It wasn't how it's supposed to be or we've clearly misjudged something more than what others did," Norris explained what happened once the race got underway.

'Piastri also struggled'

According to Norris, his teammate, Oscar Piastri is better in terms of this starting skills, but the Australian also had a difficult start to the race. "Oscar's one of the best starters on the grid. I'm not as good as him but there or thereabouts. Not a bad starter but not as good as obviously what we need to be. Again it was a race which almost slipped away off the line but today was again different to every other thing that's happened so, kind of like I said before the weekend, we need to find a bit more consistently but we’ve worked on it. I’ve done better procedurally," the McLaren driver concluded.


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8 Comments
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44-8xLegend 28 August 2024 at 14:20+ 32779

Once they sort that cars ability to start off the line, they'll naturally capitalise a lot more on their races and not have to work to re-pass. They say that around 5% wheelspin is the ideal scenario off the line. It's not a major issue they have, but one that if sorted, would really help them on the starts. Probably the McLaren's only weakness right now.

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Ludizapoli 28 August 2024 at 11:23+ 7250

Even his reaction time was not that much worse, I think a lot depends on the car, RB is much better adapted to the start than McL.

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Mavric 28 August 2024 at 12:23+ 19032

Lando had lot wheel spin when he pulled away at start of race .it could be the setting they are using to pull away at start race .

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Ludizapoli 28 August 2024 at 13:05+ 7250

Yes, that's why I think a lot depends on their car, and it's not just Lando's fault.

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Mavric 28 August 2024 at 13:33+ 19032

Ye the team back at factory sshould look into it it could be there softwear with it .that all i can think of with it

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Mavric 28 August 2024 at 14:00+ 19032

It could be mechanics with it or there could be more to it

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Ludizapoli 28 August 2024 at 13:41+ 7250

It seems to me that it is a matter of mechanics.

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44-8xLegend 28 August 2024 at 14:21+ 32779

They are. Red Bull cars have been known to start off the line very well. Max usually gets a great start and McLaren have to rely that this will happen when next to Red Bull.