Norris admits McLaren is now F1’s fourth-fastest team: “We can’t fight back without upgrades”

Lando Norris admitted McLaren is currently the fourth-fastest team in Formula 1 and cannot close the gap to its leading rivals without further upgrades, following his fourth-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday.

The British driver finished behind Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli at Marina Bay, but acknowledged that McLaren no longer has the performance required to challenge Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes consistently. Norris also accepted responsibility for a poorly judged overtaking attempt on Lewis Hamilton that allowed Antonelli to gain an advantage during the closing stages.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Norris warned that McLaren has no immediate upgrade package available, leaving the team facing a difficult task as Red Bull continues its late-season resurgence.

“I mean, we can’t unless we bring upgrades and we don’t have anything for a little bit,” Norris said when asked how McLaren could recover its lost competitiveness.

“But at the minute, we’re fourth fastest. We’re back to the back of the front, back of the top group, which is closer than we were at the beginning of the year. We can still fight pretty well. We’re still fighting for top four and almost for a podium. But we’re still too far off and we’re the worst of the top four teams. So we have to just keep trying to upgrade the car.”

The assessment reflects a significant change in McLaren’s position. Earlier in the season, the team had been capable of fighting for victories, but its rivals have since made substantial gains. As Norris explained before the Singapore weekend, McLaren had already identified straight-line speed as one of its major weaknesses, with the team investigating why its performance had declined.

Norris takes blame for costly Hamilton battle

Norris also acknowledged that his own decision-making prevented him from making the most of McLaren’s performance in Singapore.

During the closing stages, the British driver became involved in a battle with Hamilton and Antonelli. The Ferrari driver was struggling with his tyres, creating an opportunity for both rivals to attack.

However, Norris attempted a move on Hamilton at a point he later considered unnecessary, allowing Antonelli to take advantage and move ahead. The Mercedes driver subsequently passed Hamilton as well, securing third place while Norris finished fourth.

“Yeah, I should have done a better job battling with Lewis. It was inevitable that I would have passed him at some point,” Norris admitted.

“I was just a bit… I just didn’t need to overtake him, try and overtake him where I did. I mean, I braked a bit late and could have still put a good move in and he would have had to let me pass because he braked way too late. But it was just a bit unnecessary for me.”

Norris linked the mistake to a broader pattern of decisions he regretted throughout the weekend.

“So, you know, just not a good weekend for me in terms of making decisions like that.”

The admission came after a difficult Saturday, when Norris collided with teammate Oscar Piastri during the Singapore sprint. The contact eliminated the Australian and left Norris eighth, costing McLaren valuable points.

Norris subsequently revealed that he had apologised to Piastri following discussions within the team. The FIA decided not to penalise either driver, concluding that neither was predominantly responsible for the incident.

McLaren faces Red Bull threat with no immediate upgrade

Norris’s comments underline the scale of McLaren’s challenge as the championship enters its final stages.

Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix, completing a weekend in which Red Bull secured pole position and victory in both the sprint and the main race. The Dutchman had also dominated the previous round at Sepang, demonstrating the progress made by the team with its latest developments.

The results have brought Red Bull to within 7 points of McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, increasing the pressure on the Woking team to defend third place.

McLaren’s difficulties were also evident in Oscar Piastri’s assessment of Sunday’s race. The Australian finished fifth after a slow puncture but admitted that the team lacked the pace to challenge Verstappen and Leclerc, while Antonelli’s Mercedes was also faster.

The two drivers therefore reached similar conclusions about the team’s current competitiveness. Although McLaren remains capable of fighting near the front, its performance deficit has become more difficult to overcome without further development.

Norris’s concerns are particularly significant because the next round takes place at Circuit of the Americas, a venue with a demanding combination of high-speed corners, long straights and technical sections.

Formula 1 returns for the United States Grand Prix on October 23–25. GRANDE PRÊMIO continues its Formula 1 coverage as McLaren attempts to respond to its rivals’ recent progress.