Norris Wary of New McLaren Upgrades in Sao Paulo: "Want to Believe We Can Still Make Improvements"

Lando Norris is keeping his expectations in check as McLaren bolts new upgrades onto its car for this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Speaking on Thursday's media day at Interlagos, the reigning world champion said the team wants to believe the changes can still move the car in a better direction, but he was blunt about the risk. New parts can improve a car, he warned, and they can also make its problems worse. It has been a difficult campaign for Norris, who lost his world title last weekend when Kimi Antonelli became Formula One's youngest ever champion. McLaren arrives in Brazil chasing Red Bull in the constructors' standings, 17 points behind in the fight for second place, and the team has confirmed it will bring some updates to Sao Paulo in a bid to close the gap. Norris has endured a frustrating season as the defending champion, and with only a handful of races left, every upgrade is a gamble between progress and a step backwards. The sprint weekend format at Interlagos, with rain forecast across Saturday and Sunday, leaves little time to sort out any problems the new parts create. For Norris, the hope is that this package finally gives him a car he can trust again.