Lando Norris has been candid about McLaren’s performance following the Friday practice sessions at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Despite finishing fourth fastest, Norris acknowledged that the team is currently not competitive enough to challenge for pole position at this stage of the weekend.
In Friday’s practice, Norris was 0.384 seconds off the fastest time, underlining the gap between McLaren and the front runners. He pointed out that the team faced unexpected difficulties in corners where they had anticipated strength, while surprisingly showing better performance in sections where they expected to struggle. This inconsistency has contributed to McLaren’s current position outside the fight for the top qualifying spot.
Monza’s low-downforce layout contrasts with the high-downforce circuits where Norris has previously enjoyed success, such as the Hungaroring and Zandvoort. This difference in track characteristics has added to the challenge for McLaren, as the car’s balance and energy management have not yet aligned with the demands of the Italian venue.
McLaren’s Technical Director of Applied Engineering, Neil Houldey, confirmed that while fighting for pole will be difficult, the team expects some improvement before qualifying. The team introduced new components on their MCL40, including the rotating rear wing known as the ‘H-Wing’. This part performed as intended both aerodynamically and mechanically during the practice sessions.
Despite the positive step with the ‘H-Wing’, McLaren still needs to enhance their energy harvesting and deployment systems to gain additional lap time at Monza. These areas remain a focus as the team looks to close the gap to their rivals.
The competitive field at Monza remains tightly packed, with Mercedes and Ferrari also showing strong pace. Drivers such as George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, and Charles Leclerc continue to push the limits, making the qualifying session highly unpredictable.
Norris’s remarks and the technical insights from McLaren underline the challenges the team faces on this particular circuit. While they are not currently in contention for pole, the team’s ongoing developments and adjustments aim to improve their performance as the weekend progresses.