The McLaren F1 team has made a number of peripheral changes to Lando Norris's Mercedes power unit in a bid to eradicate a persistent fuel system problem.
McLaren was left significantly off the pace on Baku's long straights two weeks ago compared to Mercedes, with which it shares engines. But while some of its deficit was explained by intrinsic car weaknesses and by how it ran the Mercedes unit, Lando Norris's car was particularly down on top speed in qualifying with what McLaren identified as a fuel injection issue. The issue returned intermittently in the race, also on Oscar Piastri's car to a lesser extent, and then hampered the team in last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Lando Norris
It's understood McLaren has now decided to make a number of changes to auxiliary components related to the power unit, including the fuel system, which is on the team side rather than Mercedes, ahead of Singapore FP1 in a bid to resolve the issue.
"[I am] hopeful. We need to get on track first and see how much better it is," Lando Norris said on Thursday.
"It's been a frustrating two weekends trying to figure out what the issue has been and why there's just been a constant lack of straight-line speed and performance. And especially in this kind of battle we've been in, the last two qualifying [sessions] it's been two or three positions. So, it's cost me quite a lot."
Singapore Grand Prix is one of the least power-sensitive circuits on the F1 calendar, but with a close battle between the top four expected, McLaren can't leave any performance on the table, and FP1 is a good opportunity to see if its fuel system issues are a thing of the past.
"It's obviously also a circuit where straights are not the highest priority and not as detrimental as the last few weekends," the reigning world champion said. "But nevertheless, you always want to go down the straights as quick as you should be able to and it's always tough when you come out of corners better and end up going slower."
"At the same time, there's obviously things I can do better as well. But confident that the team has done a good job. They put a lot of work into trying to figure out things and I'm hopeful that it'll be better this weekend. But honestly, I have to get out on track and see first."
More generally, Singapore Grand Prix is an important test for McLaren to verify whether its puzzling lack of performance in Malaysia was a one-off. The Sepang circuit was expected to suit the MCL40's strengths, but instead McLaren was only the fourth-fastest team on the circuit, potentially linked to how the car's aerodynamics interacted with the extremely rough track surface.
Lando Norris is 5th in the drivers' championship with 188 points.
Source: Autosport
