McLaren boys hail ‘pretty decent’ start in Jeddah

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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri enjoyed a “decent” and “productive” opening day at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, as both McLaren drivers emphasized personal gains and growing confidence after Friday’s track action.

While their 1-2 result in second practice gave the team a strong base heading into Saturday, both drivers were quick to point out that the real progress came from within — not just in lap times, but in feel and trust behind the wheel, especially for Norris.

After a frustrating outing in Bahrain where he felt disconnected from the car in qualifying, the Briton said the emphasis in Jeddah was less about chasing setup perfection and more about refining his own execution on a circuit that demands full commitment.

“Pretty decent first day,” he said. “It always feels chaotic around here because it’s so fast – a lot of walls, a lot of near misses.

“But yeah, today has really been a day of trying to work on my driving, working on myself rather than, probably, trying to work on the car.”

The approach seems to be paying off, with Norris noting a clear upward trajectory in comfort and confidence at the wheel of his McLaren MCL39.

“I’ve been getting more confident, so I think a good start to the weekend,” he added. “Productive, gaining confidence, gaining feelings. So from what I wanted to achieve today, I think I’m on the right track.”

Still, despite the team’s encouraging pace, Norris remains wary of how slim the margins are at the front of the grid.

“The others are not far behind,” he cautioned. “I probably was hoping for a bigger gap than what we had today. I mean, we know we’re fast, but certainly not comfortable, not as comfortable as we would like.”

Piastri: Still room to sharpen up

Piastri, who’s riding high after claiming his second win of the season with McLaren last weekend in Bahrain, echoed his teammate’s optimism but admitted he still has details to refine — particularly around the high-speed corners of Jeddah’s unforgiving layout.

“It was a decent day, I think the pace has been good and it felt reasonably comfortable,” he said.

“There’s been a few corners that I need to try and do a little bit of a better job at tomorrow but all-in-all it felt like a good day.

“I think the pace has been good, still some things to iron out — it’s not been perfect but still feeling good.”

With both drivers showing signs of momentum, McLaren appears well-placed to mount another challenge this weekend — not just with the car, but with two drivers dialed in and steadily building their own performance.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.