Lando Norris concedes McLaren has underperformed at Baku and Sepang, highlighting a persistent straight-line speed deficit, as the team arrives in Singapore intent on stabilising form and understanding its slump.

He stresses both driver and team execution must improve, while McLaren investigates technical causes after Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari set the pace in Malaysia and exposed comparative weaknesses.

Mid-season upgrades had pointed to an upward trajectory, with Norris taking three poles from four events and two wins across Budapest, Zandvoort, Monza, and Madrid, raising expectations for the run-in.

The straight-line shortfall persists across the last two weekends and, by Norris’s estimation, costs two or three qualifying positions, compromising strategy options and race management from the outset.

Norris says some problems are obvious, while others are more technical, centred on extracting grip and performance consistently. The team collates Sepang lessons to refine Singapore configurations and run plans.

He adds the issue is not purely circuit-specific. Baku produced similar symptoms, suggesting a broader limitation, with Sepang’s rough surface potentially exacerbating ride and traction demands.

That profile offers encouragement for McLaren.

Norris enjoys the venue and recent results include a 2024 victory and podiums in 2023 and 2025, reinforcing confidence for the Singapore GP and his record at Marina Bay.

With top speed less decisive here, McLaren targets maximising low‑speed rotation and traction. That emphasis shapes the build-up to practice and could reduce exposure to deployment losses.

Championship context sharpens the need to respond. McLaren sits third on 316 points, trailing Ferrari on 405 and leaders Mercedes on 556, and holding an 18‑point buffer over Red Bull.

Internally, McLaren frames this weekend as validation of updates and processes. The team has addressed the Norris straight‑line issue outlined in recent briefings.

Practice will reveal whether efficiency and ride compliance improve. If qualifying losses shrink, podium contention returns; if not, Singapore becomes damage limitation while solutions continue to be developed.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.