At the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, Lando Norris expressed frustration over McLaren’s ongoing struggles with their car’s performance, highlighting how its flaws directly impacted the team’s race weekend, including his teammate Oscar Piastri’s crash. Norris emphasized that the difficulties with the MCL39’s handling have been a persistent issue throughout the season, affecting both drivers’ results.
Earlier in the year, McLaren appeared strong, leading the first half of the season, but Norris had warned that the MCL39 did not suit his driving style, describing it as challenging to control. Events at Baku confirmed his concerns when Piastri crashed in qualifying and later suffered a disastrous race day. Starting from ninth after a qualifying crash, Piastri had a poor start on Sunday, slipping to last place immediately due to a clutch drop and the anti-stall system engaging. Shortly thereafter, he locked up his brakes at Turn 3 and collided with the barriers, ending his race prematurely.
When asked about his teammate’s incident, Norris was candid about the difficult conditions and shared his skepticism about the situation’s impact:
“What do I know… I’ll focus on myself. Oscar is an incredible driver, so I doubt it will do anything. With what happened yesterday in a new car and I don’t know what happened today, to be honest. I don’t think people realize how easy it is to make mistakes here, but I think it just shows our car, not easy to be up there.”
— Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Driver
Max Verstappen dominated the race, securing a comfortable victory over George Russell by more than 13 seconds, while Carlos Sainz took third place, marking Williams’ first podium finish in four years. Norris acknowledged Red Bull’s superior pace at Baku, reiterating how the McLaren’s tricky characteristics continue to cost valuable positions and create pressure during races:
“The mistakes Oscar’s made and I’ve made just prove that it’s not an easy car to drive, still. It can be unbelievably fast, but places like here and other tracks, it could still bite you if you put one step wrong. And that’s what we’re trying to work on.”
— Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Driver
Oscar Piastri described the weekend as “messy” and accepted full responsibility for his errors that resulted in his first Did Not Finish (DNF) of the season, underscoring the team’s broader difficulties in Baku.
Lando Norris Addresses Public Perception After Baku Struggles
Finishing seventh in Azerbaijan was disappointing for Lando Norris, who felt his team’s challenges, including a slow 4.1-second pit stop, cost him a higher placing. The sluggish stop allowed two drivers to overtake him shortly after the race start. Later in the event, Norris was trapped behind Yuki Tsunoda, who himself was held back by Liam Lawson. Despite Tsunoda’s close pursuit, the DRS allowed him to defend his position from Norris’s attempts to pass.
“I’m doing the best I can in every race,”
said Norris after the race.
“If you look at that, every race I finished second or worse this year was an opportunity lost. I don’t really care how people look at it. Of course, I needed to do better yesterday but we went out first. This was just our decision, and we paid the price for that.”
— Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Driver
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen’s victory narrowed his gap to championship leader and Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri from 95 to 69 points. McLaren’s Team Principal, Andrea Stella, acknowledged the growing threat Red Bull poses to both McLaren drivers in the drivers’ championship battle.
Challenges Faced by McLaren at Baku Highlight Need for Improvement
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix exacerbated existing frustrations for McLaren, as the MCL39’s design and handling issues continued to hinder the team’s performance. With both Norris and Piastri making errors influenced by the car’s demanding nature, the team faces pressure to resolve these weaknesses before the season progresses further.
McLaren’s difficulties in Baku contrasted sharply with Red Bull’s control of the race, exemplified by Verstappen’s dominant performance and strategic excellence. The Williams team also capitalized on the chaotic weekend to achieve a historic podium, adding another layer of complexity for McLaren as rivals close the gap.
Looking ahead, McLaren must refine the MCL39’s handling characteristics to reduce driver errors and improve race consistency, especially on circuits with challenging layouts like Baku. Both drivers’ season standings depend heavily on the team’s ability to address these technical flaws and enhance the car’s reliability and driveability in the coming races.
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