Norris will begin the 56-lap race on Sunday from the second row, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso alongside him in third place. His teammate Oscar Piastri also had a strong showing, setting the fifth fastest time in Q3.
In contrast to the Sprint Qualifying session, the main Qualifying did not produce any surprises. Max Verstappen, the current Championship leader, secured pole position in his Red Bull RB20, while his teammate Sergio Perez took the other front row grid slot.
Unfortunately, Norris was unable to replicate his impressive performance in the Sprint Qualifying, where he claimed pole position in challenging weather and track conditions.
Things went downhill for Norris from there. He was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton on the run to the first corner during the Sprint race and lost control of his MCL38 as he tried to hold his position on the outside. Ultimately, he finished the Sprint in sixth place.
What can Norris hope to achieve from starting in fourth place on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix?
When asked about his feelings after Qualifying by Sky Sports F1, Norris expressed overall satisfaction with his fourth place result. He said, “I’m very pleased. It was a close battle with Fernando. I couldn’t have asked for much more.”
Norris acknowledged that the Red Bull is clearly superior this weekend in terms of both qualifying and race pace. He stated, “The Red Bull is clearly in a different league this weekend both in qualifying and race pace.”
Regarding his growing rivalry with Alonso in 2024, Norris commented, “It was still a good day. Would I have liked to be ahead of Fernando? Yes. Is it possible with the car? Yes. It is what it is, and it’s a good position for the race.”
Norris concluded by saying, “We’re getting a lot out of the car. It’s just our tire degradation and tire management that we need to improve.”
The Chinese Grand Prix will commence at 08:00 BST (15:00 local time) at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday, April 21st.