McLaren rolls into São Paulo with upgrades aimed at salvaging a season that's slipped through Lando Norris's fingers. The defending champion lost his crown last weekend when Kimi Antonelli became F1's youngest title winner, capping a McLaren fade that's seen the team fall from dominant mid-season form to victory contender at best. The papaya squad peaked with back-to-back summer wins, but the car has grown increasingly difficult to drive at the limit, leaving both Norris and Oscar Piastri unable to extract its theoretical pace. Norris won here twelve months ago on his way to the 2025 title, but he's managing expectations. "We want to believe we can still make improvements," he said Thursday, while acknowledging the upgrade package could actually worsen the car's drivability. Whether McLaren finds its sweet spot again or sinks further hinges on unlocking performance without making the car even more of a handful.
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