Lando Norris has openly addressed McLaren’s ongoing challenges with car performance following the qualifying session at the 2026 British Grand Prix. Despite some upgrades introduced at Silverstone, the team continues to struggle with pace, leaving both Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri facing a tough weekend on the grid.
Norris secured sixth place in qualifying, positioning himself on the third row for the race. However, he was nearly eight-tenths of a second slower than polesitter Kimi Antonelli, highlighting the gap McLaren still needs to close. Norris described the situation as being “in a pickle,” pointing to inefficiencies in the car’s aerodynamic balance that are affecting both straight-line speed and cornering capabilities.
The Silverstone circuit demands a high level of aerodynamic efficiency, and Norris noted that McLaren’s car is suffering from a lack of downforce combined with excessive drag. This combination is costing valuable time across both the high-speed and slower sections of the track. His teammate Oscar Piastri, who qualified eighth, echoed these concerns, mentioning the difficulty in managing the car’s balance and grip, especially under the windy conditions experienced during the session.
Both drivers acknowledged that the upgrades brought to Silverstone did not translate into significant improvements in qualifying pace. Norris suggested that the car’s inefficiency is a key factor in their current performance deficit, with the team losing time on all parts of the lap. Despite these challenges, Norris remains realistic about the race, expecting a best finish around fifth place and aiming to outperform the Red Bull cars, even though they currently hold a pace advantage.
McLaren’s struggles at Silverstone underline the ongoing difficulties the team faces in adapting their car to the demands of the 2026 season’s regulations and circuits. The comments from Norris and Piastri provide a clear picture of the issues affecting the team’s competitiveness at this stage of the weekend.
This assessment from McLaren’s drivers highlights the fine margins and complex balance required to be competitive in the current Formula 1® environment. While the team has made efforts to address performance gaps, the qualifying session at the British Grand Prix showed that more work is needed to close the gap to the front runners.
Overall, the qualifying results and driver feedback reflect the challenges McLaren is dealing with at Silverstone, with both Norris and Piastri managing a difficult car that has yet to deliver the expected gains from recent updates.
