McLaren not developing to Norris' taste helped them to become contenders?

While Lando Norris often makes remarks about his McLaren car, the Woking-based squad have the best in terms of performance on the grid this moment in time. Technical Director Neil Houldey explained why they do not develop their car to suit the Briton more.

In the 2025 season so far, McLaren have managed to take two pole positions and also won the two Grands Prix in Australia and China. First, Lando Norris claimed victory at the Albert Park track, then it was Oscar Piastri who won in Shanghai.

"I think, like [Norris] said, he stopped asking for what he likes and we've produced a faster car. We just try and generate the fastest car that we possibly can, and he is good enough to manage that and change his driving style to suit," Houldey explained to media in China how they could get to a point that by the end of pre-season testing, the British team were already considered the favourites.

The driver tends to make comments about struggling with the MCL39. After qualifying in China, he said: "Just a couple of mistakes again, kind of been my case this weekend, but the car was feeling a bit better today. I've got a lot more comfortable with the car, so a step in the right direction, especially from yesterday where I was struggling a lot and even this morning I was struggling a lot. A much better direction that we're going in."

Houldey continued in Shanghai: "If we focused on trying to make the car work for his driving style, then we may well end up with a slower car. I think so far it looks like we've taken the right route. And luckily Lando is awesome enough to cope with that and to find a fast way of driving it."

The British driver leads the drivers' standings after two rounds this season. He has collected 44 points so far, eight more than the defending world champion Max Verstappen, and 10 more than his teammate, Oscar Piastri.

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