Lando Norris cautious after FP2: "Our pace looks better than it is"

The McLaren did not wait long before making their mark in Abu Dhabi this Friday, as illustrated by the double during the second practice session where Lando Norris beat his teammate Oscar piastri. Despite this promising performance, the Briton believes that the pace of his car "looks better than it is" and expects a close fight in qualifying this Saturday.

“It was a good day, Norris said after the test. The car behaved well all day, so we are continuing the pace shown. In Qatar, it seems solid." Satisfied with the performance of his MCL38, the Englishman nevertheless pointed out the need for adjustments before the last qualification of the year: "I think we still have some things to improve on the fuel side."

Eyes glued to the title

The prospect of stronger opposition from rivals, including Ferrari with whom McLaren is still fighting for first place in the Constructors' Championship, the weekend has forced the Woking team to remain cautious. "The others will probably be closer tomorrow (SATURDAY). It will be a tough fight in qualifying,” added the current dauphin of Max Verstappen emphasizing the importance of fine-tuning settings to remain competitive over time.

Oscar Piastri also showed restraint, although he seemed pleased with his performance in the second session, which he took after giving way to Ryo Hirakawa in Free Practice 1. "I think it's quite positive, the Australian said. I only did FP2, and I was pretty happy with the car from the start. We're very happy with the pace.".

On this final weekend of the season, McLaren aims to maintain its 21-point lead over Ferrari to secure the Constructors' title. Both drivers are aware that the gaps could narrow. "If we can keep this advantage, we will be quite satisfied." concluded Piastri, optimistic but realistic about the challenges that await the Oranges on Saturday and Sunday.

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