Lando Norris makes 'best car' prediction as McLaren plot 2026 Formula 1 season fightback ahead of Japanese Grand Prix
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are both confident McLaren can develop their way back towards the front of the grid after a disappointing start to the 2026 F1 season; watch Friday's practice sessions for the Japanese Grand Prix at 2.30am and 6am, live on Sky Sports F1
Thursday 26 March 2026 10:05, UK
Lando Norris believes McLaren will have the best Formula 1 car later this season despite a challenging start to his title defence.
Norris suffered his first DNS last time out in China after an electrical issue on the power unit and was only fifth in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
It leaves the reigning world champion 36 points adrift of championship leader George Russell ahead of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, with McLaren 80 points behind Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship.
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"I can't remember how many points we were behind in 2024 from Mercedes and Red Bull, Ferrari, but I think we were over 150 points [115 points] or something behind and we still managed to come back and win the Constructors'," said Norris.
"What we are thinking of is getting on the podium first of all, and then just returning to winning races. The points then take care of themselves and we'll see what we can claw back. But we're confident in that.
"I want to say I think we're confident as a team and we believe in ourselves that we've won the last two championships and we won the Drivers' last year because we could build the best car on the grid, and I'm confident we can get back to doing that this year.
"It just takes time. You have to be patient. But yes, I have a good belief in the team and I think we can have the best car this year."
Although Norris did not reveal the cause of his power unit-related failure, he says McLaren, along with engine supplier Mercedes, have understood the problem to "make sure it does not happen again".
Development rate will play a key role during the season due to the high potential from the new 2026 F1 cars and McLaren have been the best outfit at bringing upgrades that add performance to the car without any issues in recent years.
Norris admits McLaren have "things in the pipeline" but it will "take time" for them to close their deficit to Mercedes and Ferrari.
"We're certainly not where we wanted to be. The real question you probably ask is would I rather be here and have won last year, or would I rather have a slightly better car now and not have won last year, and I think you know what my answer would be," he added.
"You can't have the best of everything. As a team we certainly are not where we want to be and where we desire to be, but I think we all know within the team what we can achieve. And now is just as good a time as ever to prove exactly what we can do as a team - against Ferrari, against Mercedes, who are performing very well at the minute.
"But I know all the boys and the girls back in the factory are working very hard and there's good progress happening."
Has last year's title race hampered McLaren?
Oscar Piastri has endured an even tougher start to his 2026 season, having not even completed a Grand Prix lap due to a crash in Australia on his way to the grid and a separate power unit problem to Norris in China before the formation lap.
McLaren and Red Bull were the quickest teams at the end of last season, but have been leapfrogged by Mercedes and Ferrari at the start of F1's new era.
Red Bull continued to bring upgrades to the latter stages of 2025 to help Max Verstappen in his bid to deny McLaren the Drivers' Championship, which may explain their step back in the pecking order. However, Piastri thinks that is not the case for McLaren and is "optimistic" the team can turn things around.
"It's a very different set of rules. The engine itself is one of the areas we are trying to catch up. We don't have as much understand as we would ideally like," he said.
"That's where a lot of lap time is generated, especially in qualifying, and with the car itself. I don't think we have sacrificed this year by trying to win the championship last year.
"It's not like we were developing the whole way through the year. We were pretty bold when we switched to this year's car as well. It's nothing to do with lack of prioritisation, it's just we haven't got it quite as right as others and we need to catch up."
Sky Sports F1's Japanese GP schedule
Friday March 27
2am: Japanese GP Practice One (session starts at 2.30am)*
4.30am: Team Bosses' Press Conference
5.45am: Japanese GP Practice Two (session starts at 6am)*
7.15am: The F1 Show*
Saturday March 28
2.15am: Japanese GP Practice Three (session starts at 2.30am)*
5am: Japanese GP Qualifying build-up*
6am: JAPANESE GP QUALIFYING*
8am: Ted's Qualifying Notebook*
Sunday March 29
4.30am: Japanese GP build-up - Grand Prix Sunday*
6am: THE JAPANESE GRAND PRIX*
8am: Japanese GP reaction - Chequered Flag*
9am: Ted's Notebook*
*Also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 heads to the iconic Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime
