2026 United States GP: McLaren issues reported

Reports from Austin said McLaren struggled for pace and handling, with Lando Norris eighth in qualifying as the team searched for a cleaner balance.

Reports from Austin pointed to McLaren dealing with pace and handling problems at the 2026 United States Grand Prix, though no broader team confirmation was supplied in the source set. Formula1.com reported that Lando Norris said McLaren were “just not quick enough”, while Autosport and Motorsport.com reported that he criticised his own qualifying lap and said the car remained a step behind.

Autosport and Motorsport.com reported that Norris qualified eighth after briefly sitting sixth and was set to share row four with Oscar Piastri. Norris arrived sixth in the drivers’ championship on 211 points, with Piastri seventh on 144. Across his Formula 1 career, Norris had started 161 Grands Prix with 11 wins and 16 poles.

Autosport also reported that team principal Andrea Stella had said McLaren could not fully address the car’s handling traits without more fundamental changes, which would not be possible until 2027. Taken together, the reports described an Austin weekend in which McLaren still needed a very narrow operating window to extract lap time.