McLaren has been dominant all season long, but on Saturday in Singapore, the team looked vulnerable for the first time in a while.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri placed third in qualifying, while Lando Norris finished in fifth place, unable to get past either Mercedes car and his “mate” Max Verstappen.
During the session, Norris was one of the earlier drivers to start their final flying lap, though he did not manage to improve his time.
McLaren has now struggled for pace in their last three qualifying sessions, dating back to Monza, making their troubles more than an anomaly.
The No. 4 driver has been consistently on the pace throughout the year, qualifying in the top three with regularity; however, he is prone to making major mistakes during qualifying all too often. Saturday’s performance, however, was not the result of a driver error, but rather a limitation in the car, and to a certain extent, the driver.
Norris did offer some context for his lackluster performance, telling Sky Sports F1 that he is feeling under the weather.
“No. If there’s anywhere you don’t want to be poorly it’s here but I am better today,” Norris told Sky Sports.
“Yesterday and the day before I was struggling a little bit. It hit me pretty quickly, but it also went away relatively quickly.
“I am probably not optimal but no excuses for today.”
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Considering that he was not feeling well, Norris’s performance is a bit more impressive, given that he was five hundredths behind Kimi Antonelli and six hundredths behind his teammate, Oscar Piastri, in the other McLaren.
The track in Singapore is known for being especially taxing on drivers due to the intense humidity and heat they experience in the cockpit.
Those factors must have made Norris’ drive all the more taxing.
Where has McLaren’s pace gone?
Regarding McLaren’s declining pace, the current runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship pointed to the other teams more than any misstep from his own team.
“Others have improved. Mercedes have done a good job. Red Bull have been good the last two weekends. Nothing is a surprise,” Norris added when speaking with Sky Sports.
“Singapore has always been a bit of a weird one. We know whenever we struggle with the front tires; we struggle a lot as a team.
“The whole weekend we have been struggling with the front tyres. Contrary to that, everyone struggles with the fronts.
“Mercedes is always the team that comes out on top, like in Las Vegas last year. I think we understand when you put two and two together, why we struggled. The front of the car is not strong enough, too much understeer, so you have to make compromises.
“Today makes you feel like no matter who you are fighting, it just feels disappointing that we are not quick enough.”
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