In a thrilling display of skill and strategy, Lando Norris of McLaren clinched a third-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix, and it is hard to argue that it was a “very good day” for McLaren.
“We missed out on Charles,” Norris admitted, referring to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished P2. “I think our pace was a little bit better. He undercut us in the first stint, so maybe a little bit of hope for second place.”
While acknowledging the impressive performance of Ferrari and Carlos Sainz, Norris maintained his confidence in McLaren’s progress, emphasizing their improvement.
“It’s clear that this circuit suits us a bit more, and we’ve been able to push,” he noted.
While Perez struggled in the solo Red Bull, Norris remained realistic about the team’s position relative to Ferrari and Red Bull.
“It’s still another step toward Ferrari and Red Bull. They are one or two steps ahead of us still, so we need to catch up.”
However, he also emphasized McLaren’s progress, highlighting their continued competitiveness: “We are getting closer, and a day like today proves exactly that,” Norris asserted.
Overall, a positive outcome for McLaren as the season unfolds, finishing the Australian Grand Prix with a team P3 and P4 in the third race of the season.