McLaren focus on closing the gap to Red Bull: 'In a strong position'
F1 News
This weekend is the last race on the F1 calendar before the summer break. Following a successful weekend for McLaren, with their first one-two finish since 2021, the team remain hopeful for the weekend in Spa. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have shared their excitement for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix.
Last Sunday's race at the Hungaroring created much controversey over the decisions made by McLaren. In the end, it was Piastri who was triumphant, sealing his first win in F1. His teammate Norris finished behind in second after starting on pole. "It’s been an amazing few days taking in my first win in Formula 1," said Piastri. "It was a great weekend for the entire team, but we now switch our focus to the final race before the summer break." Following their top performance on Sunday, McLaren moved to second in the Constructors. Now, their full focus is on the next race ahead as the team continues to close the gap to Red Bull - 51 points.
Norris also agreed, as he reflected on the team's top performance: "Last weekend was an incredible one for us as a team. The car felt brilliant, and it’s a good position to be in to close out the first part of the season," the Brit said. "I’m excited to get back in the car and hopefully bring home another haul of points for the Team.”
Do McLaren feel prepared for Spa?
For both McLaren drivers, the Belgium track is a special one, as Piastri revealed: "The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is my favourite track, so I’m excited to return to Belgium. It’s always tricky to predict what it will be like for us, but we’re in a strong position and we look to come away with another good set of points." Last season, Piastri did not finish the race, but with McLaren's performance this season, the team is in a very different position: "It’s been a great first half of the season, so we’ll take the momentum into this weekend and see what we can do."
Like Piastri, Norris regards Spa as one of his favourite tracks, and is excited by the challenge ahead. The Brit finished seventh last year, scoring six points for the team. "It’s another special one for me. It’s probably one of my favourite circuits, and I know I’m not the only driver to enjoy racing there," he said. "It’s a challenging track, and the weather can be unpredictable, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before."