McLaren ends 1.5 seconds off after repairing bodywork with zip ties

McLaren’s major Baku upgrade package did not begin as planned. Norris and Piastri lost time in FP1 because of bodywork and floor problems on the MCL40. McLaren found a crack in one component and used zip ties as a temporary fix to stop it getting worse.

Both cars completed more running in FP2, but Norris finished only sixth and Piastri eighth, around 1.5 seconds behind Russell. Norris summed the situation up bluntly: McLaren is currently a long way off the benchmark pace.

This is no longer just a repeat of the upgrade announcement: we now have the package’s first real result on track. Friday will show whether the deficit comes from the improvised repairs, the set-up or a deeper efficiency problem on this type of circuit.