Norris: Downforce one of the biggest gains McLaren made in 2019

  • Published on 14 Dec 2019 18:56
  • comments 1
  • By: Fergal Walsh

McLaren driver Lando Norris has admitted that downforce was one of the team's weaknesses in 2019, but one that the team were able to improve on throughout the year.

Norris acknowledged the improvements the team were able to make to the car over the course of the season but said there is definitely more room for improvement in how the car works under different conditions.

He also spoke about improving other aspects of the team, such as during pitstops and overall car reliability, which the team suffered from both throughout the season.

"Downforce, it's as simple as that," Norris said when asked what McLaren needs to improve on. "Downforce is always the biggest thing, and it's one of the biggest things that improved from last year. 

"It's not just having more downforce, but efficiency, characteristics of the car, the car still needs to work in different conditions, different winds, different cornering types and speeds. 

"There are still things from our stop like pit stops, driving, that we need to improve, and our efficiency on how we want to work as a team.

Norris also spoke of the importance of developing a car that can work throughout the whole season, saying that the team need to work on a car that can suit various circuits across the calendar in order to get the maximum from the overall package.

"But also with the car, the car is suited to some tracks and some tracks not at all. Trying to make the car suit both, but not so much one track but also be competitive at the tracks we suffered at a lot more. 

"Characteristics of how the car works and so on is the biggest thing to improve." 

Replies (1)

Login to reply
  • No doubt, it shows. The car looked both more stable and quick through fast corners, a significant step from any McLaren from 2015 and onwards. And for them to even beat the works team is either a strong showing from McLaren or a poor showing from Renault... Or both, of course.

    • + 0
    • Dec 15 2019 - 19:34

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team McLaren
  • Points 930
  • Podiums 24
  • Grand Prix 123
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Nov 13 1999 (25)
  • Place of b. Glastonbury, GB
  • Weight 64 kg
  • Length 1.7 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar