McLaren driver Lando Norris finished eighth in Barcelona despite suffering all weekend with tonsillitis; McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes that Norris should be recovered in time for this weekend's race in Monaco but that he currently 'does not feel good'
Monday 23 May 2022 21:58, UK
McLaren CEO Zak Brown said that Lando Norris should 'hopefully' have recovered from his tonsillitis in time for this weekend's Monaco GP.
Lando Norris called the Spanish GP "one of the hardest races ever" after battling through illness to deliver a gritty drive to eighth in his McLaren.
Norris has been diagnosed as suffering from tonsillitis, having been struggling with a fever and a headache throughout the weekend in Barcelona.
After managing to finish eighth despite his symptoms and the searing heat on race day, he was withdrawn from his post-race media duties and instead went straight to the motorhome to be looked over by the team doctor.
Appearing on Sky Sports' Any Driven Monday, McLaren CEO Zak Brown gave an update on Norris' condition, with the team remaining hopeful that he will be recovered in time for this weekend's race in Monaco.
"Yeah, a great drive [from Norris]," said Brown.
"He was very ill. We weren't even sure he was going to get the clearance from the doctor to drive but fortunately he did.
"He is a tough guy and he drove great.
"He has tonsillitis and is in bed now so hopefully he will be okay for the weekend in Monaco.
"It was a pretty exciting race at the front, unfortunately we weren't at the front but he did great.
"I think he should be fine. It is Monday, he still doesn't feel great today but he has got four days to recover so I would like to think so.
"Sitting here now, he still doesn't feel good."
Although he was withdrawn from media duties, Norris gave an update on his condition after the race, revealing that he couldn't prepare properly for the Spanish GP due to fighting off his illness.
"Today was tough," Norris said via McLaren afterwards. "I was feeling really unwell before the race as I'm suffering with tonsillitis, and that, in combination with the high temperatures, made this one of the hardest races I've ever done.
"I've been a bit on the backfoot this weekend as most of my energy has been spent fighting off this illness.
"I've had to miss a lot of engineering sessions, which has compromised my weekend, and I definitely wasn't as prepared for the Grand Prix as I could have been.
"With that in mind, I'm really pleased to have come out of the race with decent points for the team."
Norris repeatedly tested negative for Covid-19 over the weekend.
The English driver, 22, did not join the other 19 drivers at the front of the grid for the pre-race anthems while being attended to and he was looked over again after the race.
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl confirmed Norris' participation in the Grand Prix had been approved by a doctor and is now aiming to ensure he is rested and recovered ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.
"After the doctor gave the green light today and after Lando was clear from his side that he would give it a go, we went for it," Seidl said.
"Obviously he was not feeling well all weekend. When your energy levels are low with tonsillitis, which he was suffering from, it was a very challenging race and afternoon - especially in these hot temperatures as well.
"So, he was pretty flat towards the end of the race and after the race, but thanks to the great medical support here and also within the team that he has around him.
"The objective is clear now for the next phase. We need to make sure he gets some good rest now in the next four days before we then go again in Monaco."
After Norris' heroics for the McLaren team at the Spanish GP, Brown admitted that the young British driver currently has an edge on his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, who hasn't yet got to grips with his car.
Ricciardo finished in 12th in Barcelona and is yet to find form in the 2022 Formula One season and the McLaren CEO believes that goes to show just how much of a world-class talent Norris is.
"Lando definitely has an edge. We obviously would like to see Daniel much closer to Lando and have a good inter-team battle.
"Daniel is just not comfortable yet with the car," said Brown on Sky Sports' Any Driven Monday.
"We are trying everything we can, again it was a disappointing weekend.
"Short of Monza and a few races, it has not met his or our expectations of what we were expecting.
"I think all you can do is keep working hard as a team, keep communications going, keep pushing and hope that whatever is not clicking at the moment, clicks shortly.
"It also points to how good Lando is when you look at the gap between Charles and Carlos, the gap between Max and Sergio, there are gaps between teammates and I think Lando is one of the best drivers in the world at the moment.
"It is also a compliment to how good Lando is when you see the gap that exists."
