Key Highlights
- Lando Norris reported that McLaren “seemed to gain performance” following the introduction of a new upgrade package during Friday practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
- Norris led the opening practice session at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace before finishing second to Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli in Free Practice 2.
- While the modifications were primarily designed to add pure downforce and grip, Norris noted that the car offered a “slightly more positive feeling” compared to recent outings.
McLaren Introduces Crucial Updates at Interlagos
McLaren arrived at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix armed with a suite of technical modifications designed to arrest a recent dip in competitive form. After drifting back from the sharp end of the grid in previous rounds, the Woking-based outfit introduced updates aimed both at clawing back lap time and helping Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri manage the challenging dynamics of the MCL40.
The early indicators from Friday’s running showed encouraging pace. Norris topped the timesheets during the opening one-hour practice session, edging out newly crowned World Champion Kimi Antonelli by under a tenth of a second. In the afternoon session, Mercedes surged ahead, leaving Norris second in Free Practice 2, two tenths of a second behind Antonelli. Despite the shift in the order, Norris expressed confidence in the development path demonstrated across both sessions.
I think FP1 we seemed quite easily on the pace, FP2 maybe struggled a little bit more to match the Mercedes but I think it’s been a pretty good start to the weekend,
said Norris when asked about the upgrades. We’ve continued the trend that we had in Mexico. I think all in all, a positive day. Today was also a day where we’re kind of working through the upgrades and seeing if they’re working as they should and they are, so I think we seemed to gain performance.
Nothing has changed too much from a driving point of view, it’s still tricky, but it’s maybe brought a little bit of lap time, which is what we want.
Handling Balance vs. Downforce: Norris Evaluates the MCL40
The handling characteristics of the MCL40 have served as a persistent talking point throughout the campaign. Norris, who secured the World Championship last season, has repeatedly highlighted that while the platform possesses underlying speed, extracting that performance consistently on the ragged edge remains exceptionally difficult. The updates deployed in Brazil offered a chance to assess whether structural aerodynamic changes could bring usability alongside raw speed.
Norris detailed the distinct engineering purposes behind technical development parts, clarifying how modern Formula 1 components can alter a driver’s perception from the cockpit even when targeted strictly at downforce.
You can have two types of upgrades,
he explained. Upgrades that change kind of a balance and handling, and upgrades that are just there to bring performance, to bring lap time, to make things perform quicker.
You hope they also improve how the car has been handling, and as we know it’s been a tricky car, so today seemed a little bit more straightforward.
So even though the upgrades are not performed to change the handling characteristics, they aim to just bring load and grip.
From that sometimes you get a bit of a difference in feeling and I think today was a slightly more positive feeling, so that’s certainly a good start to the weekend.
Why This Matters
McLaren’s operational focus in Brazil reflects the critical late-season development race. Having slipped from the front-running battle in recent Grands Prix, proving the correlation between factory simulation and on-track lap time is essential for the team’s technical roadmap. At a challenging, undulating circuit like Interlagos, an unpredictable car balance costs drivers significant confidence through high-speed sectors. If the newly added downforce can provide Norris and Piastri with a more settled platform without introducing unintended handling vices, McLaren will remain firmly in contention to challenge Mercedes for pole position and race victory across the remainder of the Sao Paulo weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Lando Norris perform during Friday practice in Brazil?
Lando Norris concluded Friday practice with strong front-running pace, setting the fastest time in Free Practice 1 ahead of Kimi Antonelli before finishing second behind the Mercedes driver in Free Practice 2 by two-tenths of a second.
What was the primary goal of McLaren’s upgrades for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?
McLaren brought updates to Brazil to find performance, generate lap time, and deliver added aerodynamic load and grip, with the secondary benefit of making the MCL40 easier to drive for both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Did the new updates resolve the handling issues of the McLaren MCL40?
Norris explained that while the car remains tricky
to drive at the limit and the parts were not designed specifically to reshape balance characteristics, the added downforce provided a slightly more positive feeling
and a more straightforward day behind the wheel.
