Lando Norris is keeping his optimism in check ahead of McLaren introducing upgrades to its car after a “patient” start to the season.

McLaren has fallen back this year, with the team conceding before a wheel had turned that its car had missed performance targets during development.

An aggressive upgrade strategy was put in place, and will see what effectively equates to a B-spec car introduced in stages over the coming three events.

“I look forward to anything that’s new,” Norris said of the impending developments.

“It’s been a lot of work that’s gone into it.

“We’ve been quite patient with what we’ve had; we’ve been chipping away at many other things at the same time.

“We’ve not brought a lot of lap time, pure lap time, to the table over the last… well, you say since the beginning of the year.

“Of course, there was a new floor in Baku, but that was for philosophy than absolute performance.

“But putting it all together, putting in the work that we’ve been doing, I think we’ve been doing a good job with what we’ve had.”

Norris has managed three points finishes from the eight races thus far and sits 11th in the drivers’ standings with 12 points.

McLaren has amassed 17 points from 2023, leaving it 27 back from Alpine for fifth in the constructors’ championship.

The team hopes the deficit to its Enstone rivals can be closed starting next weekend in Austria, where the first stage of its B-spec upgrade will be deployed.

“There’s been a lot of work, it’s been a lot of changes, and seeing all of this come together and see what we can do with it… of course, it’s not on track just yet,” Norris said.

“I’m confident we’ll be a step forward. But have much is the question.

“I don’t want to get too over excited about all of it, I never do, but it’s a lot of work that’s going into it.

“I’m excited to see all of that come through and see what we’re capable of doing.”