Norris Faces Setback in Madrid Due to Gearbox Issues

Lando Norris arrived in Madrid with doubts about McLaren's ability to consistently compete for the championship. His concerns were compounded on Friday when a gearbox issue curtailed his participation in the second practice session.

Norris managed only two laps in FP2 before the mechanical failure forced him to return to the garage, preventing any further running. McLaren was unable to fix the problem in time for him to rejoin the session, which limited his preparation ahead of qualifying.

McLaren's performance technical director Mark Temple acknowledged the lost track time as a significant setback, emphasizing the need to maximize Norris's mileage in the final practice. Meanwhile, teammate Oscar Piastri completed both sessions but also noted a lack of pace, indicating that the team has challenges to address for both drivers.