Lando Norris marked an important milestone for McLaren as the team’s new car made its first on-track appearance under the latest Formula 1 regulations. The Briton completed a productive opening day, focusing on system checks and initial data gathering as the team begins its development programme.

“It felt great to be back on track and see the No.1 on the car, which is a surreal moment for me. Getting out there was a significant moment for the entire team, with it being the first time our car under the new regulations has been on track. Thank you to everyone for getting us to this point,” Norris said.

The McLaren driver emphasized that the priority was not outright performance, but understanding the fundamentals of the new package.

“It was a productive and positive first day. Our aim was to gain an initial understanding of the new car, check that all systems work, and gather some baseline data for the engineers. With any regulation change, it takes time to figure everything out, but I am feeling good about how the day went, and I’m looking forward to getting more laps in on Friday.”

According to RacingNews365, Norris completed a total of 76 laps, setting a best time of 1:18.3, finishing 0.945 seconds off the fastest pace of the session. While lap times remain secondary at this stage, the mileage completed represents a solid start for McLaren as it adapts to the new technical era.