After a sprint qualifying in Brazil where McLaren showed all its potential, Lando Norris ends with a mixture of satisfaction and regret. The Englishman, who started as the favourite for pole position in the Sprint Qualifying of the Sao Paulo GP, saw the best time slip away in the final moments, when a small mistake prevented him from beating his teammate's lap, Oscar piastri. Just 29 thousandths separated the two, with Norris forced to accept second place for tomorrow’s Sprint.
Qualifying to the thousandth, Norris: “I lost the Pole due to a mistake”
“We improved a lot from the start of the day,” Norris said. “The car was feeling a lot better, I was surprised at how fast we were, but it was a positive surprise.” Norris couldn’t hide his disappointment at his mistake on his final run, however. “I made a mistake on the last lap and came back in. We did a good job as a team, but I’m sorry I lost the pole.”
Knowing he had left his teammate a great opportunity for the Sprint Race, Norris could have started from pole and perhaps taken advantage of a perfect start to keep his teammate behind. But McLaren’s competitiveness remains a positive note, and Verstappen’s fourth place behind the two MCL38s could be a crucial advantage for Norris in the championship.
Norris annoyed: “Verstappen? I don’t care where he qualifies”
Pressed for a direct comparison with Verstappen, Norris responded firmly at the end of sprint qualifying in Brazil: “I don’t care where he qualifies, I only think about my job. I’m tired of these questions. It doesn’t matter if he’s first or last, I just race.” The battle with Verstappen is getting tighter and tighter, and the Briton knows he has to stay focused on himself to have any chance of turning the standings around in the final races.
The question is, what will McLaren do with the two drivers?
The starting order for tomorrow immediately raises an intriguing question: will polesitter Piastri be given the green light or will he have to protect Norris for the title? McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was clear: “The aim is to maximise points for the team. Lando is fighting for the championship, and we will certainly talk about how to manage the race to get the most out of it.” The situation offers McLaren a rare opportunity for mutual support between the two drivers, but the challenge for Norris remains open: he knows that, if he is to keep his title chances alive, every race will be a battle to be won.
Source statements: SkySportF1
