Lando Norris put in an impressive performance during the Brazil GP sprint qualifying, securing P2 behind teammate Oscar Piastri. Despite mistakes on his final lap, the Brit showed McLaren’s potential on a day when they dominated following a tricky FP1, surprising even the British driver himself.
Reflecting on the team’s effort, Norris admitted, “Yeah, I think a big improvement comparing to where we were earlier today, we were struggling a lot. A little bit surprised that we were so quick today, but a pleasant one of course.”
Norris’s initial laps in the final session proved competitive, but a handful of errors saw him abandon his last run.
“A good lap, I made too many mistakes in my final lap and just boxed, but yeah, good job as a team. Like I said, wasn’t expecting it, so a pleasant surprise and just a couple too many mistakes in my final lap, that’s all,” he explained.
When asked about Max Verstappen starting a few positions back and the potential implications for the championship battle, Norris’s response was blunt, saying, “I don’t care.”
“I hate this question so much. I’m just going to race. I don’t care about where he qualifies. For me, it’s just a focus on my own job. And that’s it, you know, it’s just, it’s the same question every time, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t know if he’s first, if he’s last, I’ll do the best I can.”
Despite his competitive start, Norris was cautious when asked about the team’s potential for victory over the weekend. He noted, “I mean, tomorrow is a completely different day, so we’ll see. We definitely made some good steps forward, so good enough and happy with today, but we’ll see in the sprint tomorrow.”
With a strong position on the grid, Norris is poised for an eventful Sprint and race.
