Lando Norris says that he feels happy in the car after taking P2 in qualifying for the F1 Japanese GP. He will start next to pole sitter Max Verstappen.
The Briton missed out on pole position by 0.012 seconds, as Verstappen put in a stunning performance to take first place. The gap between the Red Bull driver and the McLaren’s is marginal anyway, with the gap to Piastri being 0.044 seconds. It’s the first time since the 2024 Austrian GP, that Verstappen and Norris start in this constellation. In Sunday’s race they would collide.
First Q3 run didn’t work out
“I didn’t go that much. I mean, I went two tenths quicker than the Q2 lap, so not enough, but just a little bit. It’s a track where you just kind of chip away in different areas and commit a bit more in those high-speed corners,” Norris said after qualifying for the F1 Japanese GP.
“But I was pretty happy with my lap, honestly. I tried pushing on a good amount more in Q3 Run 1 and it didn’t work out clearly, so I just had to kind of peg it back a lot.
“I was happy with the balance and happy with the car at the end. The margin is so small – I think it was a hundredth in it – and you’d probably say yes, but yeah, just not enough for pole.”
Norris is happier with the car after China
“Much happier than China. The car’s a lot more back to my liking. I’ve got some front end in the car and I’m much, much happier with that. I’ve been feeling confident all weekend,” Norris said when he was asked if he is happy with the car.
“If quali was in FP1 and it was a Sprint race, I feel like I’d be much further ahead, but everyone’s good enough that by the time you get to quali, they kind of catch up a bit.
”I’ve been feeling good, the car’s been feeling good from the off as well. We’ve been chipping away. I think between both of us we’ve been quickest in every session bar this one, so it’s the little frustrating one.
”The corners I still struggle with, the corners I’m still not happy with, are the corners I still just don’t have the front end and I don’t have the grip in the car when I need it from the front. It’s clear what suits me and what doesn’t, or just what allows me to be quick and what doesn’t.
”China was one of those weaker tracks, and we come here and the car’s a lot more how I want it. Much better again.”
Norris expects similar race to Melbourne
Rain is being expected for Sunday, with showers expected to hit midday. However for race start, it’s forecasted that there is a moderate chance of showers. Norris was asked on his confidence going into the rain, with him responding to be excited.
“No one knows what the weather is going to be like tomorrow, so no point trying to think of too many things. We’ll do our homework tonight.
“It’s probably going to be a bit of a race like Melbourne, and that was an exciting race for everyone. Now I’ve got to try and do some overtakes, you know? So we’ll see.
”It’s exciting. I think the unknown of the weather is going to make it exciting and nerve-racking for everyone. And I’ve got to try to get past the guy on my left, so yeah, excited.”
