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McLaren’s intent is clear as they enter the Japanese Grand Prix after a trying opening to the season: the only way is up. Suzuka’s singular and spectacular test will form another part of the team’s learning curve of the new regulations, with optimism that the defending champion Lando Norris’s title and the team’s constructors’ championship are still within reach.
After Mercedes dominated the opening two rounds, McLaren found themselves third fastest but well behind Ferrari and as much as half a second off the pace. They were honest in acknowledging they had work to do on the aerodynamic side of the chassis and on understanding how best to exploit their new engines under the power management rules that are now a key part of performance.
Moreover, with both cars failing to even make the start at the last round in China after two separate electrical issues with their battery units, there is no little impetus to at least put in a full race distance in order to better get to grips with their cars. Not least for Norris’s teammate, the Australian Oscar Piastri who has yet to start a race this year having also spun out on the way to the grid at the first round in Melbourne.
Testing times then, but there remains a determined positivity about the team that they are still in the fight with 20 races to go. “I believe we can get close but I also know how good Mercedes are,” said Norris. “They’ve obviously got on the right track early and have understood the car better than we have been able to do. But we knew we were just always a little bit behind from last season.
“By no means do I think it’s going to be an easy one. It’s not like: ‘Yeah, we’re going to nail this’. But I believe we’re heading on the right track, we have to play catchup but I think it’s possible.”
After the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi GPs, the next round after Japan will not take place until the Miami race weekend in early May, where the team have targeted some upgrades. Before then, McLaren have some vital time to further get to grips with their car with all teams seeking potentially major gains.
“We’re just a bit on the back foot but we’re figuring out the perfect path to go down,” said Norris. “Every day we’re making progress on that so the more days we have, the closer we can understand exactly the direction the car needs to be developed in. When we then find that perfect direction, that’s when we can take bigger steps forward.”
After the championship leader George Russell and his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli had taken a one-two in first practice at Suzuka there was nonetheless a good show for Piastri in the afternoon when he went quicker than both Mercedes drivers in the second session.
No one is expecting a radical change in fortune in Japan. Mercedes have already shown they have more in the tank come qualifying and race pace and there is no reason that will not be the case here. But Ferrari look to be struggling a little with their power deployment on the magnificent figure-of-eight circuit near the seaside of Japan’s Mie prefecture and McLaren might have the edge here.
The race also represents another test for F1’s new rules on a track where energy recovery is tricky and will play a key role in how the drivers approach a lap. Suzuka is a much-loved drivers’ circuit which combines a requirement for inch-perfect judgment with a reward for pushing to the limit.
If they discover it is neutered by the requirements of energy management there will likely be no little chorus of discontent. Even as at the same time it is undeniable that the new rules have produced some enormously entertaining racing. Messing with a classic might once more focus minds when the sport meets to take stock of how the new regulations have shaken out post-race.
