Lando Norris Reflects on "Tough Race" Amid "Not Clicking" in the MCL39

McLaren driver Lando Norris struggled during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, leaving him P6 and with a lot of work to do for Sunday. However, he managed to climb up the grid and finish on the podium, despite a false start penalty.

Norris entered the race weekend with a one-point lead over Red Bull's Max Verstappen, and now leaves Bahrain with a three-point advantage over his teammate Oscar Piastri, who won the race comfortably.

Considering the pace of the car, Norris should have delivered a 1-2 for McLaren and fought for the win. However, given his struggles in qualifying, the result works out.

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“A tough race. Of course, I made too many mistakes with the overtakes, the out of position [moment] – it was a messy race from me," Norris said.

“I’m disappointed not to bring home a 1-2 for McLaren, because that would have been lovely at home [for the team]. A tough one, but still a few positives.”

Wrapping up the weekend 👏#McLaren | #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 pic.twitter.com/mq5ch2K8YS
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) April 13, 2025

“It was good racing throughout, so no complaints. It was good fun, good overtakes, everyone hard and on the limit, as it should be.”

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Russell appeared to be vulnerable after a safety car brought the cars together; however, the Brit managed to hold off Norris and secure a P3 finish.

“He did a good job,” Norris said.

“I thought I’d be able to get him. I guess he was probably just saving a little bit for the end, which he did well, so he did a good job."

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“Oscar did a good job, so congrats to Oscar and the whole McLaren team. I’ll try to step it up for next weekend [in Saudi Arabia].”

Norris himself identified that he is not driving at his best and lacks confidence and comfort in the McLaren car, in which his teammate Oscar Piastri clearly looks much more at home.

"Honestly, I'm surprised I'm achieving anything I'm achieving at the minute with how I feel in the car," he told Sky Sports.

"I'm not comfortable, I'm not happy. I'm not feeling good, so to be getting the results I'm getting at the minute I'm still quite surprised by."

"Just something's not clicking. I don't have an answer."

A second home Grand Prix to remember! 🏆#McLaren | #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 pic.twitter.com/hEm6yJiuWa
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) April 13, 2025

"I'm not able to do any of the laps like I was doing last season. I knew every single corner, everything that was going to happen with the car, how it was going to happen. I felt on top of the car."

"This year I could not have felt more opposite so far. Even in Australia, whether or not I won the race, I never felt confident."

"The car was just mega and that's helping me get out of a lot of problems at the minute. I'm just nowhere near the capability that I have, which hurts to say."

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