Lando Norris is hoping to continue his strong streak in Austin, where he has never missed a top 10 finish.
« I’m very happy to be back in Austin, it’s a great racing city and the fans are always very excited, so it should be an exciting weekend. » Norris said. « The circuit is fun, with similar characteristics to Suzuka, so I can’t wait to see how the new cars perform there. »
« I’ve finished in the points both times I’ve raced there, so hopefully we can keep that going and get some valuable points for the constructors’ championship. »
Daniel Ricciardo has always been a big fan of the USA Grand Prix, and despite the Australian’s difficult season, he hopes to shine in Austin. His aim is to help McLaren regain fourth place.
“The United States GP is one of my favorite races of the year,” says Ricciardo. « The extra energy I get from the atmosphere is immeasurable and I love everything about it. From the crowds to the food and the music, there’s nothing better. »
« I’m looking forward to hitting the track. I’m looking forward to the last four races of the season and trying everything to maximize the results to keep us in the fight for fourth in the championship. »
A first “useful” outing for Palou
McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl reveals his team are eager to get to Austin for the first round of the American double race, which heads to Mexico the following week.
« The United States Grand Prix is a favorite of many on the team, so we’re all looking forward to the weekend at COTA. The fans are awesome and really add to the exciting vibe in Austin. « Seidl said.
“The circuit itself has some interesting features, like drop-offs and wide corners with multiple overtaking paths, so it will be important to balance the settings between some of the slower corners and the speed needed for the straights. «
In Austin, McLaren wants to run IndyCar driver Alex Palou in EL1. The Spaniard, who is expected to arrive at Arrow McLaren SP in 2024, will make his first official Formula 1 outing after two private test sessions, as Seidl explains: « We are also looking forward to giving Alex Palou a ride in the MCL36. »
« It will be helpful for the team to have their input and support on the car set-up before Daniel is back for FP2. With only four races to go, we need to keep our heads down and push just as hard. as possible to return to fourth place in the constructors’ championship. »
