Norris cautious as McLaren brings upgrades to São Paulo

McLaren will bring a small upgrade package to the São Paulo Grand Prix, but Lando Norris is not certain it will make the car easier to handle. He hopes the changes will move the team in the right direction, while acknowledging they could make the car more difficult to drive even if they deliver extra performance.

The update arrives as Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri have struggled to fight for wins in recent races. McLaren’s difficulties have centred on a car that has been hard for both drivers to push to its limit. Norris’s comments echo the challenges discussed in coverage of his view of McLaren’s difficult 2026 campaign.

Norris sees promise, but no guarantee of easier handling

Speaking to the media in Brazil on Thursday, Norris said the team had made some small additions to the car and hoped they could improve its direction. He stressed, however, that the effect on drivability remained uncertain.

Norris said the priority was for the upgrades to produce a step forward in performance. If they do, the team may then be able to adjust the car to make it more consistent. The changes are not a guarantee of an easier weekend: in his view, they could also make the car harder to drive.

The Briton also recalled winning in São Paulo a year ago. Reviewing the previous season’s session results during his preparation, he found his name at the top of each one. That served as a reminder of a successful weekend which had boosted his confidence and, at that point, helped him take control of the championship.

McLaren wants to unlock the car’s potential

Norris’s title defence has been a difficult one. After a challenging start to the season, he and McLaren put together back-to-back wins over the summer, but have since found it harder to contend for victory. Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s youngest champion last weekend, ending Norris’s reign.

The team is continuing to work on this year’s car, Norris said, with the aim of improving both its speed and how well it responds to a driver trying to extract its maximum. He believes the car has potential, but that potential has not always been straightforward to access.

McLaren’s technical work in Brazil has also featured in coverage of its São Paulo plans. For this weekend, Norris is looking for the latest small changes to help unlock more from the current car, while remaining wary of the possibility that they may complicate its handling.