Lando Norris says McLaren can’t even ‘expect’ podiums right now after Monaco Grand Prix DNF

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A dejected Lando Norris didn’t mince his words after issues with the power unit forced McLaren to end his race early.

Norris’ race ended early after several issues with his power unit. It was not a good race for Norris before that point, who had been struggling to get past Pierre Gasly.

Despite Norris lacking confidence coming into the race, there is no denying that this result is a huge blow for him and McLaren.

And while Oscar Piastri managed to finish the race with a strong points finish, the dismal outing for Lando Norris is sure to reduce the confidence within the team.

But after the race, the reigning world champion admitted that neither he nor McLaren believe they are in a position to compete at the highest level.

READ MORE: F1 fans think Lewis Hamilton has a ‘crystal ball’ after hearing Monaco Grand Prix radio

Lando Norris says McLaren aren’t expecting to compete for race wins or podiums

Speaking to reporters after the race, a disappointed Lando Norris did not hold back on the situation he and McLaren faced.

Norris even admitted that McLaren aren’t expecting to compete for race wins or podiums, but want to try and score somewhere in the middle of the top 10.

“Look, I’m fighting for P8. Gasly? There’s a penalty now. This was my chance to be there and get a few points.

“And you know what? At this point of the year, we’re not expecting a win or a podium, but we need to maximise sixth, seventh, fifth. I’m working hard. The team are working hard, and we’re just not getting rewarded.

“We’re doing the best we can. I’m doing the best I can. But when you just can’t finish your race, I don’t know what I should really expect. I always have faith in the team. I’ve always had faith in the team. Some things take time…

“It’s just we have to keep chipping away. It just hurts to start a lot of races and not even finish. But, yeah, it’s life sometimes.”

READ MORE: Lando Norris expects complaints from rivals if F1 uses Carlos Sainz’s Monaco GP qualifying solution

We saw some rookie mistakes up and down the field, but who was the most impressive driver of the Monaco Grand Prix?

Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Scuderia Ferrari HP Press Office, Oracle Red Bull Racing / Red Bull Content Pool, McLaren Racing

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McLaren have no choice but to adapt to their issues

This disastrous Monaco Grand Prix result marks the second race Norris hasn’t finished this season, which has made things very difficult for the reigning world champion.

McLaren’s disastrous strategy has been exposed, especially as their dominance from last year seems to have dissipated entirely.

Even with McLaren and Norris focusing on positives despite the tough times, it looks like the dejection has now started to catch up to them.

It’s hard to understand why exactly McLaren are struggling this season, especially as they share their power unit with Mercedes, the team which are dominating both title races this year.

Even so, it is time for the entire crew at McLaren to understand their shortcomings and make sure that things improve sooner rather than later.