Despite showing promising pace in practice at Spa-Francorchamps, Lando Norris expressed caution, stating McLaren is "certainly not getting ahead of ourselves." He noted the car remains "very, very difficult to drive," and the Friday performance might not reflect the true competitive order.

Spa's unique track demands a balance between low drag for speed and downforce for corners, complicated by the 2026 power units' limited energy deployment. Norris highlighted a lack of battery charge on straights, impacting top speeds. McLaren technical director Neil Houldey echoed Norris's sentiment, emphasizing that second place in practice doesn't represent their genuine position and that opportunities for optimizing energy deployment still exist.

Analysis of telemetry showed differences in how Norris and championship leader Kimi Antonelli managed electrical energy, with Mercedes appearing to employ a more strategic approach. While McLaren brought a new low-drag rear wing, they are still seeking to find the optimal deployment strategy for the weekend, with Norris facing a grid penalty for power unit component changes.