Stella estimates lap-time cost of Norris’s straight-line deficit

Norris finished qualifying on Saturday in sixth place, one position ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri. Speaking to media including RacingNews365, he said he felt his lap was strong but was losing speed on every straight, even after a good corner exit. Seeing that happen repeatedly, he said, “hurts”. [1]

Norris acknowledged that drivers can usually find a little more time, but said he felt he should have qualified higher because McLaren was not getting everything it needed from the car. He expects that difficulty to continue into Sunday’s race. [1]

Update

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says Lando Norris’s recurring straight-line speed deficit could be costing him more than a tenth of a second per lap, possibly between one and two tenths. He estimated that Norris’s car reaches a top speed roughly 1–2 km/h lower under otherwise comparable conditions and accelerates slightly less in sections where power is decisive. [2]

Norris said he was losing speed by the end of each straight even after a good corner exit. Autosport reports that he had a similar additional deficit during the preceding Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. [2]

Stella said the cause remains open. He cautioned against blaming the Mercedes power unit, pointing to chassis-related factors and drag as other possible explanations. McLaren has not eliminated the deficit over the past two events. [2]