Lusail,Qatar – Lando Norris expressed frustration with his qualifying performance for⁣ the Qatar Grand Prix,ultimately securing⁣ second place on​ the grid despite initially holding pole position. The McLaren⁣ driver described his result as a “double punishment,” ‍acknowledging a compromised qualifying session and the disadvantage of starting on the right side of the ‌track at the Losail international Circuit.

Norris initially set the pace during the​ final qualifying segment, but ⁤a subsequent​ mistake on his second attempt proved‌ costly. “Average. ⁤It ‌wasn’t the best lap. There was a lot of room for ⁣betterment in my second lap. But I went off track and made a mistake. There’s nothing you can ⁣do⁤ about that now,” Norris told Viaplay following the session.

The⁣ McLaren⁤ driver, currently leading the World Championship standings, elaborated on the implications of starting from second.”Second place is not a better position, and not the ⁤right side of the grid. So it is ⁤a‌ double punishment,‍ but I ⁢have‌ to​ make the best ‌of it,” he stated.

A potential ⁤disruption during his second⁢ qualifying‍ lap, involving George Russell completing an extra warm-up ⁤lap, did not appear to⁣ impact Norris’s performance. When asked if Russell’s maneuver affected his run, Norris responded definitively, “No.”

Ultimately, ⁢Norris was unable to improve on his initial time after‌ the ⁢error,‌ allowing teammate Oscar Piastri to post a ⁢faster lap and‌ claim pole position.⁣ The qualifying session highlighted the ​fine margins and competitive intensity‌ within the McLaren team as ⁤they ⁣vie for success in ‍Qatar.

Norris claims He Didn’t See Verstappen During Qatar Sprint Race

Lusail, Qatar – ⁤Lando Norris secured crucial points in the Qatar sprint race,‍ finishing in ‍third position and gaining⁣ a point over championship leader Max Verstappen. Despite Verstappen’s early pressure, Norris stated he was unaware of the Dutchman’s proximity‌ throughout the race.

The McLaren driver focused his attention on⁣ closing the gap to George Russell, who⁢ was ahead.”I never actually saw him!” Norris explained post-race. “I only saw ​George Russell in front of me, I was trying⁢ to get to‌ the front. We were quite close ‌together at the start, but it was okay. ‍But ‍no, I⁣ didn’t ⁤see what happened behind me.”

Norris acknowledged the demanding nature of the sprint race, highlighting the difficulty ⁢of⁤ overtaking ⁢at⁤ the Losail International Circuit. “It was ⁤a long stint and it felt like there ⁢was a lot of pushing. So it will be a tough race⁣ on Sunday. It’s just not easy to overtake ⁢here. So it’s all about qualifying,” he said.

The performance ⁢of Mercedes, particularly George Russell’s near-pole position for the sprint, also caught Norris’s attention. “George was almost on⁢ pole (for the sprint race). He shows that the Mercedes is fast and he is doing very well. So I think it will be exciting.”

Looking ahead to qualifying later today, Norris expressed confidence in his team’s readiness. “I ‌don’t think it will be easy, but the team has given ⁢us a very good car again, as they have always done this year, and it is fast. It is a hellish round here in qualifying. So I am looking forward to it.”

Oscar Piastri also⁢ benefited from the sprint race, gaining two points.