He was once a dreamy eyed F1 dreamer with wide eyes and impressive talent but one who searched intrepidly for a maiden F1 title. Today, Lando Norris, is all set to enter and begin the brand new season as the sitting world champion or the defending world champion. Oh, how times change, don’t they in the top annals of Motorsport racing? But then, destiny favours the brave- doesn’t it? For someone who had commandeered the hopes and expectations of a prized stable like McLaren for the longest possible time, beating the likes of Daniel Riccciardo fair and square to now leading the charge for McLaren dominantly on the same field that sports legends like Alonso and Hamilton, Norris has come of age. And he would like to continue his winning form and further gather useful points and wins in what lies ahead in 2026. However, before all of that happens, it’s time for the much anticipated pre-season testing.
And where that is concerned right now, then all F1 roads points to Spain, where, as per news inputs, Lando Norris and McLaren have already commenced testing. So what recent inputs have in store for us besotted Motorsport fans?
Lando Norris has begun his pre-season testing programme with McLaren, becoming the first driver to take the new MCL40 out on track. The running marked an important early step for the team as it starts preparations for the upcoming Formula 1 season under new technical regulations.
Norris completed the car’s initial laps on Wednesday, focusing on baseline checks and system tests rather than outright performance. Early pre-season running is typically used to assess reliability and gather data, helping engineers understand how the new car behaves in real track conditions.
The following day, team-mate Oscar Piastri took over driving duties, continuing McLaren’s testing schedule. However, the team’s running was disrupted after a fuel system issue was identified during the lunch break. McLaren confirmed that the problem required further investigation, forcing the session to be cut short.
Despite the setback, if this could be dubbed a minor hitch of sorts, McLaren described the opening days of testing as a useful starting point. With major changes affecting cars across the grid, teams are expected to face reliability challenges during the early stages of development.
