Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Lando Norris has revealed that McLaren has asked its power unit supplier Mercedes for greater support to improve preparation ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The request follows a difficult start to the 2026 Formula 1 season for McLaren during the opening round at the Albert Park Circuit. While Mercedes secured a dominant one-two finish led by George Russell, McLaren and fellow Mercedes customer teams Williams and Alpine struggled to match the performance of the works team.
The performance gap triggered public comments from team principals Andrea Stella and James Vowles, both of whom acknowledged the difference in competitiveness compared with the Mercedes factory operation during the Melbourne weekend.
Despite the concerns, Norris emphasised that the working relationship between McLaren and Mercedes remains strong. The German manufacturer has powered the Woking-based team to the constructors’ championship for the past two seasons and helped Norris secure the drivers’ title last year.
“We’ve worked very closely, and they’ve helped us achieve the last couple of championships together. It’s certainly not like that’s not the case already.”
The British driver explained that the early phase of the season often involves significant technical learning, particularly with the introduction of a new power unit generation.
“It’s just early in the season, and there are a lot of things to try to understand. Certain things don’t need to be told because you always try to create your own advantages.”
“At the same time, there are certain things we’re having to figure out for ourselves.”
Norris acknowledged that McLaren also needed to improve its own preparation and execution, stressing that better internal performance could close part of the gap regardless of external factors.
“There were still a lot of things that we didn’t explore or maximise ourselves. If we just do a better job and figure out more earlier, we would perform better anyway.”
However, Norris admitted that one of the challenges faced by McLaren ahead of the season opener was limited access to the latest power unit specification compared to the factory Mercedes team.
“The fact that we didn’t have the newer power unit at an earlier point meant we were always going to be on the back foot compared to a team that’s performing extremely well and is much more prepared than we were able to be.”
Looking ahead to the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Norris said the team’s main request has been to ensure improved readiness in collaboration with its engine partner.
“I guess we just want to be able to be more prepared, and that’s the main thing we’ve asked for.”
As Formula 1 continues its early-season development cycle, cooperation between customer teams and manufacturers is expected to play a crucial role in closing performance gaps as the championship progresses.
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