McLaren had a tough time at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with the low-grip track exposing their car’s weaknesses. Lando Norris finished sixth, just ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri in seventh. It was the team’s worst result since they became one of the strongest competitors earlier this season.

Ferrari took advantage of McLaren’s struggles, finishing third and fourth, and reduced the lead of the Woking-based team in the Constructors’ Championship to just 24 points.

While Mercedes’ one-two finish limited Ferrari’s points gain, it was clear the MCL38, struggled in the tricky and cool conditions with Norris admitting the car was hard to handle on the low-grip surface, which has been a long-term problem for the team.

Despite the setback, McLaren is hopeful for a better performance at the Qatar GP as the high-speed Lusail International Circuit should suit their car’s strengths much more. However, Norris remains cautious, saying Red Bull is still the strongest team, especially in fast corners. 

“Many things have changed since last year, but these high-speed circuits I think will suit Red Bull extremely well,” he said quoted by Motorsport Week.

“Red Bull are still by a mile the best car in high speed so I’m not expecting us to be the favourites.

“But I think we absolutely have a car that can fight a lot more than we had this weekend.”

At the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, McLaren celebrated a strong result, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finishing second and third, completing a double podium for the team, while Max Verstappen clinched his 14th win of the season.