Lando Norris Predicts Red Bull's Surprise at Spa-Francorchamps

Lando Norris believes Red Bull Racing will be the team to beat at Spa-Francorchamps, predicting they will be "quick, if not quicker" than their rivals.

What happened?

Norris finished second in FP2, just two tenths of a second behind pacesetter Kimi Antonelli. However, he doesn't think McLaren can challenge the top teams over the weekend.

"We've not really changed anything this weekend, so there's no reason for us to expect anything different," Norris said. "Red Bull normally just don't turn up on Friday, so we'll get to Saturday, and they'll be just as quick, if not quicker. So let's just wait and see."

Why it matters for Lando Norris

Norris's comments come as McLaren faces a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding the permitted number of power electronics units for the season. The team has chosen to use the fourth power electronics unit for the remainder of the season to maximize reliability while minimizing sporting penalties.

"We now plan to use this fourth power electronics unit for the remainder of the season, in order to maximize reliability while minimizing sporting penalties on Lando," the team explained.

What comes next?

Norris is optimistic that McLaren can still make progress over the weekend, despite the grid penalty. "I think we probably turned up [the power unit] with Mercedes, and the rest of them didn't," he said. "So I think we're still probably, at the minute, the fourth-fastest. But it seems like if we can get things right, then we might be a little bit closer than we were at Silverstone. So that's great."

The challenge ahead

Norris was also critical of McLaren's lack of deployment on the straights, particularly through Blanchimont. "We go from almost 320 to 270 because we just have no battery left," he said. "So every single straight, we're clipping."

The Belgian Grand Prix is set to take place on a challenging circuit, with overtaking opportunities aplenty. Norris will be looking to make the most of the weekend, despite the tough conditions.

**The grid penalty will see Norris start 10 places behind his rivals, but he remains optimistic about McLaren's chances.**