McLaren's Strong Performance in Japan Signals Positive Momentum for Norris and Piastri

McLaren achieved their best result of the 2026 Formula 1 season so far at the Japanese Grand Prix, with Oscar Piastri securing second place in his debut Grand Prix of the year and Lando Norris finishing fifth. This double top-five finish marked the team's highest points haul, totaling 28 points, a significant rebound from their double Did Not Start (DNS) in China due to technical issues.

Norris, who started fifth, made a strong getaway to third but faced pressure from the faster Mercedes of George Russell. He engaged in a thrilling battle with the Ferraris, particularly Lewis Hamilton, exchanging positions in the latter stages. Norris ultimately passed Hamilton on the penultimate lap after the Ferrari driver was cleared of a chicane-cutting advantage.

"It was a good start," Norris said post-race. "I think the pace was good and I think we were decent. Clearly the Mercedes was still on another level, but we could have a nice race with the Ferraris."

The Briton noted the challenge of defending against Mercedes traffic in the first 15 laps and the lack of clean air, which limited the car's potential. Only on the final lap and one mid-race lap did he experience clear track, where the McLaren "really came alive."

Despite technical woes earlier in the weekend—Norris completed minimal running in FP2 and FP3 due to hydraulic and ERS problems— the team maximized their power unit. "It's more that things were just better," Norris explained. "We've not really made a step. We improved the engine side of things and maximised the power unit. ... The car is still a good challenge, so in a way that's a positive thing... It shows that if we improve things quite a bit more, we can be quick again."

This performance underscores McLaren's resilience and potential, with Norris viewing it as "good signs" for future races, especially if qualifying improves.