MELBOURNE, Australia — Formula 1 champion Lando Norris is struggling with his new era McLaren car and frustrated to line up only sixth in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Norris´ title defense comes amid sweeping changes to the cars, and the 26-year-old British driver has endured a tough week at Albert Park so far.
F1´s new cars are complex, with unprecedented changes across the chassis and power unit, which now feature an almost 50:50 output split between the turbo 1.6-liter V6 engine and electrical energy harvested from the brakes – one that requires a new, often counterintuitive driving style.
“We´ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1, and the nicest to drive, to probably the worst,” he said after the qualifying.
He´s not just coming to grips with his car´s complex energy management systems, but also in getting out on track – with the Briton losing significant time in the two practice sessions.
“Just getting into the rhythm of lifting everywhere to go quicker and using gears you don´t want to use and just understanding that when you lift more, you brake later but you have to brake less,” Norris said according to AP.
“That´s why laps are more valuable than ever. In the past, miss P1, not too bothered.
“Now, you miss five laps, not only do you as a driver have to figure things out quicker, the engine doesn´t learn what it needs to learn and then you´re just on the back foot.”
