McLaren enter the new Formula 1 season as the team to beat, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri showing strong early pace at the Australian Grand Prix.
Norris, widely tipped as the favourite for victory at Albert Park, topped the timesheets in the opening practice session before ending FP2 in third, just behind his teammate Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Despite McLaren’s impressive start, Norris admitted there were still areas to refine ahead of Saturday’s crucial Qualifying session. The Briton pointed to inconsistencies on low-fuel runs as a key concern, an issue that has carried over from Bahrain.
Norris sees room for improvement despite strong start
Reflecting on the day’s performance, Norris acknowledged McLaren’s competitive baseline but remained cautious about their outright pace.
“So-so,” he said when asked about his feelings on track. “I think it’s been a good start to the weekend. We’ve got a good baseline, but I’m certainly not happy or confident with the car in terms of finding the best balance and being consistent enough, especially on low fuel.”
While he felt comfortable on high-fuel runs, Norris admitted that the short-run pace of McLaren was still not where he wanted it to be.
“Similar to Bahrain – too many inconsistencies, too many problems, so a bit of a struggle.”
McLaren vs Ferrari vs Mercedes – A tight battle ahead
Although McLaren’s early performance suggests they are the team to beat, Norris acknowledged that the battle at the front remains tight. When asked whether it was too soon to predict McLaren’s dominance this season, he responded:
“I don’t know what positive means, but I think we’ll be strong. Like we said the whole time, we’ll be strong, Ferrari will be strong, Mercedes [too]. I don’t know, we’ll wait and see.”
Piastri confident in McLaren’s speed
For Oscar Piastri, the home hero in Melbourne, Friday’s running was encouraging. The Australian secured second place in FP2, showing McLaren’s potential in both high and low-fuel conditions.
“I think the pace was pretty solid, still a few things to try and iron out to make the car feel a bit nicer,” Piastri said after stepping out of the MCL39.
While he remains realistic about the challenges ahead, he believes McLaren have the performance to fight at the front.
“It’s hard to say. The weather’s going to be pretty different on Sunday and that’s going to throw some spanners in the works, but I think the underlying pace of the car seems strong.
“Ferrari have looked pretty quick today and Mercedes at other points as well. Things are looking good, but we don’t want to just try and aim for the podium, we want to aim for the top step.”
A Championship-calibre start for McLaren?
McLaren’s early pace in Melbourne reinforces their status as serious contenders for the 2024 season. With Norris and Piastri both inside the top three on Friday, the team appears well-positioned to launch a championship challenge. However, with Ferrari and Mercedes still in the mix, the real test will come in Qualifying and Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Feature Image Credit: McLaren Racing
