TRIENITZ

How Norris and McLaren have continued to raise their game

Lando Norris’s recent victory in the Miami Grand Prix wasn’t just about one of Formula 1’s best performers of recent years getting his long overdue first win. It was also about the faith that he has shown in McLaren and vice versa, as well as the constant push to improve that Norris has possessed since he was a teenager in the junior ranks.

In this week’s issue, Alex Kalinauckas hears from Norris and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella about the work that, in just 12 months, has taken them from failing to make Q2 in Miami last year to beating Max Verstappen (page 14). They know there is still work to do, which is why Norris has no intention of changing his approach, even if the pressure is now slightly less than it was before. McLaren’s progress has been impressive, and Jake Boxall-Legge takes a look at the upgraded MCL38 in our technical focus on p20.

Norris is the 114th driver to win a world championship race (excluding sprints – sorry Oscar Piastri!) and only the 104th if you exclude the anomalous Indianapolis 500s that bizarrely counted across 1950-60. He’s also the 21st British driver to achieve the feat, so we pick out five candidates to be the 22nd on p22.

Outside of F1, last weekend was a busy one. Hats off to privateer squad Jota for pulling off a World Endurance Championship race victory at Spa against all the factory teams (p24) and Sebastien Ogier for breaking yet another rally record in Portugal (p34). We also have reports from both the Formula E (p40) and the British Touring Car (p44) championships, with one driver staking their title claim in each.

Kevin Turner Chief Editor kevin.turner@autosport.com

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Cover image McLaren; JEP/Motorsport Images

PIT & PADDOCK 4 Wolff denies Antonelli Williams plan 6 Alpine reveals hydrogen LM Hypercar 8 Sainz bolsters Ford Dakar attack 11 Emilia Romagna GP preview 12 Opinion: Alex Kalinauckas 13 Feedback: your letters

L ANDO NORRIS AND McLAREN 14 Why Norris is better than ever 20 Tech focus: McLaren’s upgraded MCL38 22 Britain’s next F1 winners?

RACE CENTRE 24 WEC: Jota beats the factory teams at Spa 30 Porsche bounces back for LMGT3 1-2 34 Ogier takes record sixth Rally Portugal win 40 Cassidy stakes his FE claim in Berlin 44 Turkington on top in Brands BTCC 50 World of Sport: IndyCar; IMSA; Formula

Regional European; Indy NXT; MotoGP

CLUB AUTOSPORT 63 Special Senna tribute at Monaco 64 Whiteside uninjured after dramatic roll 66 Obituary: Neville Hay 68 Ryan joins Autosport Driver Rankings 69 National reports: Harewood;

Brands Hatch; Monaco Historique 74 Star club car: Vauxhall Firenza

FINISHING STRAIGHT 78 What’s on this week 80 From the archive: 1998 Argentinian GP 82 My favourite team-mate: Emanuele Pirro

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16 MAY 2024 AUTOSPORT.COM 3