Here's the thing about momentum: Lando Norris has secured two wins from the last four Grands Prix, looking utterly dialed in while McLaren has unlocked serious performance from their machine. A likely victory at the previous round in Madrid was snatched away only by an ill-timed Virtual Safety Car, leaving the McLaren driver hungry for more.
Yet, as the paddock gathers for Wednesday's media day in Baku, the reigning World Champion is not exactly singing praises for the upcoming venue. When asked if his status as champion gives him an extra edge against the frontrunning Mercedes, the Briton kept it real about his current form.
Out of the last few circuits, this is the one I've not been looking forward to the most.
"I certainly think I'm doing some things better than last year but it's not like I'm just doing a much better job than last season," he said, pointing out that the second half of last year featured drives just as strong as this season's.
Still, he feels more consistent, better at extracting speed from a tricky car, and notably more relaxed than he was at this exact point last year. He credits that inner calm and self-trust for helping him squeeze performance out of what he notes has probably been the quickest car over the last three races.
Despite that pace, Norris has firmly dismissed any talk of hunting down Kimi Antonelli for the drivers' title. Sitting 106 points behind with just nine Grands Prix remaining, reality has set in.
More importantly, the circuit itself presents a massive hurdle for the papaya squad. Norris believes this weekend could prove to be one of the most challenging tests yet, noting that their 2026 car thrives in high-speed corners—a commodity entirely missing from the Baku layout.
"Not one high speed corner on this track, not even a medium speed corner," he said. Comparing the venue's traits to Monaco spec—where the team struggled significantly last time out—he made his feelings crystal clear: "Out of the last few circuits, this is the one I've not been looking forward to the most."
