McLaren braced for possible Norris NIGHTMARE despite recent F1 surge

McLaren will be bracing for a challenging Belgian Grand Prix, despite their recent impressive performances at Silverstone and the Hungaroring, due to Lando Norris' dismal record at Spa.

Formula 1 takes a month-long break after the chequered flag waves on Sunday afternoon to mark the conclusion of the Belgian GP.

Fans will therefore be rightly hoping that it brings plenty of excitement and enough thrills to carry them through a three-weekend spell without F1 racing.

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And on a track known for its overtaking capabilities, many are expecting that the historic venue will once again play its part in providing an exhilarating spectacle.

Despite Max Verstappen looking untouchable on the top step, the competition behind the Dutchman is rapidly heating up. McLaren in particular have gone from strength to strength since the introduction of their upgrades at the British Grand Prix.

Norris looking to buck the trend at Spa

Norris has since recorded consecutive P2 finishes, while team-mate Oscar Piastri has claimed fourth and fifth in the UK and Hungary respectively.

The Australian rookie is now set for his first taste of Spa in an F1 car, while Norris will be taking to the track for the fifth time this weekend.

And if his previous outings are anything to go by, the 23-year-old could be in for a tough time. Norris has only managed to finish in the points on one occasion, a P7 result in 2020.

A P12 finish was the best he could muster in 2022, P14 in 2021's wet-weather write-off and and P11 in his first F1 race at Spa back in 2019.

Both Norris and McLaren will be desperate for the Briton's Belgian heritage to help him claim yet another podium in his pseudo-home race.

Stats curated by Sundaram Ramaswami. For more, follow @f1statsguru on Twitter.

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