{"id":3325,"date":"2026-10-03T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=3325"},"modified":"2026-10-03T09:14:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T12:14:54","slug":"norris-reveals-engine-issue-at-sepang-im-just-slower-at-the-end-of-the-straight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/norris-reveals-engine-issue-at-sepang-im-just-slower-at-the-end-of-the-straight\/","title":{"rendered":"Norris reveals engine issue at Sepang: \u201cI\u2019m just slower at the end of the straight\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Norris confirmed a power-unit issue contributed to his straight-line deficit at Sepang.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He qualified sixth, 0.627s behind Verstappen, and gains a place through Hadjar\u2019s penalty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Norris expects high tyre degradation to create opportunities through strategy and Safety Cars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lando Norris has revealed that a continuing power-unit issue contributed to his disappointing qualifying result at Sepang<\/strong>, where McLaren struggled to challenge Red Bull and Ferrari for the leading positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reigning <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">Formula 1<\/a> champion finished sixth with a <strong>1:35.757<\/strong>, trailing polesitter Max Verstappen by <strong>0.627s<\/strong> and beating team-mate Oscar Piastri by just <strong>0.005s<\/strong>. Isack Hadjar\u2019s five-place penalty moves Norris to fifth on the starting grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking after qualifying in Malaysia, Norris confirmed that an ongoing power-unit problem was affecting his speed on the straights. He felt his lap deserved more, but said McLaren was still unable to extract everything it needed from the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m just down on every single straight, so every time I get a good exit, I\u2019m just slower at the end of the straight,\u201d Norris said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The concern also extends to Sunday\u2019s race<\/strong>, when a lack of straight-line speed could complicate overtaking and defending positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Norris satisfied with his lap, but not McLaren\u2019s pace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Norris distinguished his own performance from the limitations of the car. He was pleased with his final attempt, while acknowledging that McLaren\u2019s difficulties throughout the weekend made a place on the third row unsurprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI&#8217;m pretty satisfied with my final lap; I feel I put it all together and did a good job with what we had. However, it&#8217;s clear we are a long way off the pace. My car is struggling with speed on the straights, and we&#8217;ve lacked general pace all weekend, so starting fifth is not a surprise. We don&#8217;t expect any miracles, and it\u2019s obvious the Red Bulls are in a class of their own here,\u201d Norris said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Verstappen\u2019s pole and Hadjar\u2019s third-fastest qualifying time underlined Red Bull\u2019s strength. Hadjar\u2019s penalty changes the starting order, but <strong>Norris expects McLaren to face a substantial performance challenge<\/strong> against the cars ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-classificacao-mclaren-lando-norris-05-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"F1 2026, BAHREIN, MAL\u00c1SIA, CLASSIFICA\u00c7\u00c3O, MCLAREN, LANDO NORRIS\" class=\"wp-image-1020316912\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-classificacao-mclaren-lando-norris-05-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-classificacao-mclaren-lando-norris-05-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-classificacao-mclaren-lando-norris-05-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-classificacao-mclaren-lando-norris-05-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-classificacao-mclaren-lando-norris-05-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-bahrein-malasia-classificacao-mclaren-lando-norris-05-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lando Norris (Photo: McLaren)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tyre degradation could create opportunities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite that assessment, Norris believes the demands of Sunday\u2019s race could offer McLaren opportunities that were absent over a single qualifying lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He expects tyre management, pit-stop decisions and possible interruptions to influence the result, with the heat adding another challenge for the drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTomorrow will be a very different and challenging race for everyone. The tyre degradation is higher than we&#8217;ve seen all year, which will likely force a two- or three-stop strategy. This could create opportunities with safety cars and varying strategies. It\u2019s going to be a tough, physical race where managing the car lap after lap will be crucial. While we&#8217;re not where we want to be in terms of performance, the unpredictable nature of this race could be a good thing for us, and we&#8217;ll be ready to seize any chances that come our way,\u201d Norris said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>His reference to two or three stops is a race-strategy expectation<\/strong>, with the eventual choice dependent on tyre behaviour and how the grand prix develops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting fifth keeps Norris close to the leading group. His challenge will be to remain competitive through the stints while putting McLaren in a position to benefit if the race produces the openings he anticipates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Formula 1 continues this weekend, from 2\u20134 October, in Malaysia, which hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix. <strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> will cover all the action at Sepang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">F1 today: FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why did F1 cars lose power before the Bahrain GP in Malaysia?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The FIA identified a combination of low engine speed, low grip, wet-weather energy management settings and Sepang\u2019s sector configuration. It distributed a software update before the race and announced a full review with teams and power unit manufacturers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 championship in Singapore?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. Antonelli leads George Russell by <strong>84 points<\/strong>, but even a Singapore Sprint and Grand Prix double would not secure the title. <strong>Austin on 25 October is his earliest possible opportunity<\/strong>, depending on his results and those of the remaining contenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is the next F1 race, and is Singapore a Sprint weekend?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next race is the <strong>Singapore Grand Prix on 11 October<\/strong>, with track activity beginning on Friday, 9 October. It is a <strong>Sprint weekend<\/strong>: Sprint qualifying takes place on Friday, followed by the Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What engine problem did Norris report at Sepang?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Norris confirmed an ongoing power-unit issue was contributing to his lack of straight-line speed. He did not identify a specific failed component in the comments verified.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The McLaren driver qualified sixth but will start fifth after Hadjar\u2019s penalty, with straight-line performance and tyre degradation shaping his race prospects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020316911,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Lando Norris","42wp_featured_image_credits":"McLaren","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":31,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[630,329,117,10],"42wp_author":[31],"class_list":["post-3325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-bahrain-grand-prix-in-malaysia","tag-f1-qualifying","tag-lando-norris","tag-mclaren","42wp_author-bernardo-castro"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3325"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3326,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3325\/revisions\/3326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020316911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3325"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=3325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}