Norris gets comfortable with ‘pretty different’ 2026 car, and being No. 1

Lando Norris says the new McLaren feels noticeably different but that he got a good understanding of the 2026 car on its first day of running at the Barcelona shakedown.

McLaren hit the track for the first time on Wednesday having not had its new car ready in time for the opening two days, but started strongly with Norris setting the third-fastest time in the unofficial standings, and managing 76 laps. The defending champion says there are clear differences in a number of areas but that he was satisfied with his first feelings from the new regulations.

“It's pretty different,” Norris said. “Not even a huge step, I think it's just a bit of a step slower in terms of cornering speeds. In terms of like acceleration and straight-line speed, it probably feels quicker than it did last year – you get to 340, 350 kph (211, 217 mph) quite a bit quicker than we did in previous years.

“It's a bit more of a challenge in many places, which is a good thing. But then you have a bit more to understand from the battery, the power unit – all of those things are in some ways more complicated and just different. And whenever something's different, it always takes a bit of time to figure out the best way to look at it, to manage it, to use it. But that's what these days are used for.

“I think we got a good understanding today. It's still going to take a while. The conditions here are quite different to what they're going to be in Bahrain, what they're going to be in Melbourne. But it's just trying to gather as much information in every condition possible, whether it's going to rain in the next couple of days or be dry or whatever. The more laps we can do, the better.

“So, nice to be back. Different feelings, of course, [but] still feels like a McLaren, still feels powerful, and still feels like a Formula 1 car, which is the most important thing.”

The first day for McLaren also marked the first time Norris took to the circuit carrying the No. 1 on his car as defending champion from 2025, and he says it’s a special milestone in his career.

“I saw it actually early on the timing screen and I still find it just unbelievable. Like it's still a crazy thing to see, especially when you see it now," he said. "For now, it's really the first time I get to see it on my suit, on the car, on timing screens, all of these things, and it looks good.

“So still a surreal feeling, the whole situation of being champion, but it doesn't change anything apart from I'm at the top of the timing screens before we've even gone out because I'm the lowest number now. Pressure's on, but at the same time, it's cool.

“It's great for the mechanics. It's great for them to have that feeling and that honor, but it doesn't change anything. Otherwise, it's still hard work, a lot of work that we have to put into everything and many laps we've got to complete. But it's nice to know that I got that number on.”