Hungarian GP: Lando Norris critical of McLaren car for making him drive ‘a way I don’t want or like to’

Lando Norris described his McLaren as a car he doesn’t “want to or like to drive” ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

It has been a disappointing season for McLaren, who are fifth in the constructor standings, while Norris and his team-mate Oscar Piastri are ninth and 11th respectively in the driver standings.

There were signs of improvement recently as Norris finished fourth in Austria before taking second at the British Grand Prix, with Piastri fourth, following major upgrades to the MCL60.

But Norris still isn’t happy with the car despite the upturn in results.

"You have to drive it quite one way but it's also a way that I don't want to drive or like to drive," Norris told Sky Sports.

"I don't like to drive the car the way that I have to drive it now. I feel like it isn't to my strengths at all.”

The Hungarian Grand Prix takes place this weekend at the Hungaroring and Norris explained that cornering is one of his major concerns.

He highlighted the difference between having to “U a corner” – rolling the car into a bend to keep the momentum high – and “V a corner” – braking later but therefore having a lower minimum speed, and getting on the throttle earlier.

"I want to be able to carry minimum speed and U a corner and the last thing I can do in the world now is U a corner,” Norris explained.

"I have to V the corner more than ever and I've never been the biggest fan of doing that and I don't like it that much.

“Basically the car only likes to go in a straight line, and it doesn't even go very quick in a straight line either.

"But we're very good in straight-line braking which is why we're so quick in the wet at times. I wouldn't say we're quick in the wet as a general note, we're quicker in the wet when braking is a big key like in Monaco - it builds tyre temperature, builds confidence - that's when we're quick but we're not actually quick in the corners when it's wet.

"There are certain things that allow us to be competitive. Just to be able to have scope to do different lines and drive in different ways.

“If the wind changes, if conditions change, different fuel loads, tyre degradation we still always have to drive in one specific way and it's not one that I currently like, it's one that I've had to adapt to.

"Even last year, it still changes every year, you have to adapt a lot as a driver and far away from the car I want to be able to drive."

The Hungarian Grand Prix is the 12th round of the 2023 season, which culminates with Round 23 in Abu Dhabi in November.

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team are the dominant force again this year; the Dutchman sits 99 points clear of his nearest rival – team-mate Sergio Perez – at the top of the driver standings.

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