Lando Norris acknowledged McLaren's ongoing pace issues following his qualifying performance at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Despite an impressive top spot in Q2 with what he described as a “magical” lap, Norris was unable to replicate that pace in Q3, ultimately qualifying sixth on the grid.
After the session, Norris admitted that the McLaren car remains “too slow” compared to its rivals. He pointed out that the difficulty lies in consistently delivering a perfect lap, especially given the car’s inconsistent grip and the changing track conditions. Norris highlighted that significant time was lost in every corner, with the first sector—comprising Turns 1, 2, and 3—being particularly challenging, costing him around two-tenths of a second per lap. He noted Turn 7 as the only corner where he felt competitive.
His teammate Oscar Piastri faced a tougher session, being eliminated in Q2 and starting 13th, which underscored the broader difficulties McLaren is experiencing this weekend. The difference in their qualifying results reflected the challenge of extracting maximum performance from the car under varying conditions.
Norris explained that replicating his Q2 lap in Q3 was particularly difficult due to the car’s unstable grip levels and the evolving track conditions. While the “magical” lap in Q2 showed the car’s potential when everything aligns perfectly, such laps are rare and hard to reproduce consistently. This inconsistency remains a key issue for McLaren as they seek to improve their overall pace.
Despite these challenges, Norris expressed some optimism that the car can be competitive when the conditions and setup come together just right. However, the session made clear that McLaren still faces a notable deficit in pace compared to the front runners, especially in the critical opening sector of the circuit.
The qualifying results and Norris’s comments provide insight into McLaren’s current performance level at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The team’s difficulty in maintaining consistent speed across all corners, combined with the variable grip, continues to limit their qualifying and race potential at this stage of the weekend.
This assessment from Norris highlights the fine margins involved in Formula 1® qualifying and the ongoing challenge for McLaren to find a more stable and faster package. The session underlined how difficult it is to extract maximum performance when the car’s behaviour is unpredictable, particularly on a demanding circuit like Mexico City.