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Lando Norris impressed Martin Brundle over the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix weekend, but the Briton was arguably held back by McLaren during round seven of 22.
The F1 paddock set up camp in Montmelo last week for what is now named the Barcelona-Catalunya GP, ahead of Madrid taking over hosting the Spanish Grand Prix in September. It proved to be a historic weekend for F1, too, as Lewis Hamilton took his first win for Ferrari.
Norris joined his fellow Britons Hamilton and George Russell on the podium in P3, to clinch only his second rostrum of the season so far and complete the first all-British podium since 1968. Yet Norris came home 23.719 seconds off the lead, and benefitted from others’ pain.
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Martin Brundle feels McLaren’s car is holding Lando Norris back after seeing his speed in Barcelona
Without Mercedes talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli retiring one lap after taking P2 from Russell, Norris would not have scored a podium in the Barcelona-Catalunya GP. Yet the pace that the defending F1 drivers’ champion showed all weekend in Montmelo really impressed Brundle.
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton scores his first Grand Prix win for Ferrari in Barcelona
Brundle was especially impressed by what he saw from Norris during qualifying on Saturday, after the McLaren racer claimed P4 on the grid with a 0.322s deficit as Russell scored pole in Barcelona. Norris’ lap encouraged Brundle the most given that McLaren have not developed the MCL40 as well as Ferrari have with the SF-26 to rival the Mercedes W17’s dominance.
Brundle told Sky Sports: “Norris for McLaren completed the second row, the reigning world champion driving very nicely in a car which is not yet quite as fast as the Mercedes, and has been subtly outperformed by Ferrari’s successful recent car updates in Montreal and Spain.”
Norris continued to impress Brundle during Sunday’s Barcelona-Catalunya GP, as well, as the Sky Sports co-commentator thinks the 26-year-old’s race pace made Mercedes modify their strategy. He held onto Antonelli’s heels during their first stints, and he remained in play with both Mercedes racers after the second round of pit stops but could never get close enough.
Brundle added: “Norris stopped on Lap 13, and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri stopped on Lap 14, as did Antonelli, giving him a small but important tyre life advantage over Russell and Hamilton. Judging from transmitted radio calls, Mercedes seemed more concerned by the relentless presence of Norris, rather than the three stopping Hamilton.”
Andrea Stella concedes that Ferrari have the ‘best’ chassis on the 2026 F1 grid
Your championship standings after the Barcelona GP. How worried should Kimi Antonelli be about Lewis Hamilton?
McLaren will know that they will need to bring another wealth of upgrades for the MCL40 to give Norris and teammate Piastri a car capable of taking the fight to Mercedes and Ferrari. It was also not lost on team principal Andrea Stella in Barcelona where Ferrari enjoy the edge.
Stella admitted to Motorsport.com after the Barcelona-Catalunya GP that he believes Ferrari have the “best” chassis on the 2026 F1 grid. The Scuderia even profited from debuting eight updates in Montmelo, most notably their new front wing, redesigned floor and rear diffuser.
“I think this race gave us very clear indications,” Stella said. “In a way, those signals confirm what we actually already knew. The indications suggest that Ferrari currently have the car with the best chassis.
“We see especially in the middle sector, and particularly in the medium-speed corners, that the Ferrari is the fastest car in the corners. Not necessarily on the straights, but certainly in the corners.”
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