Lando Norris (3rd): His McLaren not fully updated – fear of a penalty

Formula 1 engine manufacturer Mercedes has brought an upgraded battery to Austria; it has been fitted to the race cars of Kimi Antonelli, George Russell (Mercedes) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren). However, it has not been fitted to Lando Norris’s McLaren.

Background: Following battery issues in China and Japan, Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris is already using the third battery permitted for the entire season. Had the latest version been fitted to his McLaren, it would have resulted in a grid penalty – a five-place drop on the starting grid.

Once again, Lando Norris’s weekend got off to a bad start: 45 minutes of the first practice session were wasted whilst the McLaren mechanics searched for a hydraulic leak.

After a few harmless forays into the gravel traps in Styria, the 26-year-old Briton remarked: “A problem in the first practice session set us back initially, but once that was sorted, we were able to make progress as the day went on. In terms of pace, it was a decent day, and we’re a bit closer to the cars ahead of us – that’s encouraging.”

“This circuit seems to suit us, as we’ve seen in recent years, and that’s a positive sign for the weekend. The priority now is to build a bit more confidence in the car. If we manage that, we can further close the gap to the front.”

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