Lando Norris, a driver for McLaren, expressed his disappointment over a mistake he made during his last run in the qualifying session for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Norris believed that this error cost him the opportunity to secure second place on the starting grid. Despite this setback, McLaren showcased their strong performance by placing both cars in the top 10 during the season opener, a feat they had not achieved under the current regulations. Norris finished seventh, less than half a second behind Max Verstappen’s pole position time. However, a narrow two-tenths margin separated third to ninth place.
Norris acknowledged the challenges he faced during the qualifying session, attributing some of the difficulties to changes in the wind. He emphasized the importance of consistency and avoiding mistakes during the crucial Q3 session. Despite his disappointment, Norris recognized the potential of the McLaren MCL38 and the positive progress made by the team. He believed that with a flawless lap, he could have secured a front-row starting position. Norris also noted that the cooler temperatures in Bahrain contributed to McLaren’s unexpectedly competitive performance.
Looking ahead, Norris acknowledged that McLaren might face more challenges in hotter conditions and with higher fuel loads. He mentioned that during practice sessions, the team struggled to achieve optimal times. However, as the temperatures cooled in the evenings, McLaren’s performance improved. Norris remained positive about the team’s progress and their determination to continue improving.
Norris admits that he is uncertain about the speed of McLaren in race format, but he anticipates that the team’s strategy could be crucial as numerous teams are closely matched.
“I didn’t have many opportunities to run with a full tank of fuel during the pre-season test, so it was a bit challenging for me to understand how it affects the car,” he confessed.
“However, the pace, as Oscar [Piastri] mentioned, was quite decent yesterday, and I believe that translates to our performance with less fuel as well.
“It’s a very tight competition, as you can see, with different teams closely matched, which is always the most thrilling aspect. We know that Ferrari will be pushing from the start. We have Mercedes, Aston Martin, and ourselves, so there are several teams vying for good positions.
“What I hope is that we can break away from the cars behind and establish ourselves as the frontrunners. However, there are eight cars that are all closely linked, and I think that will make for an exciting spectacle for everyone watching.
“It will also provide us with an opportunity to experiment with different strategies, as long as the field doesn’t spread out too much. So, I believe it will be an exciting race.”
When asked about what would be considered a successful outcome for McLaren, Norris responded, “Second place! I can’t really give a definitive answer. I don’t know.
“The long runs from yesterday showed that it’s very close between all the teams. Mercedes, us, Aston Martin, Ferrari – if you looked at Max, he was the only one who seemed slightly ahead without even pushing too hard. The rest of us were posting similar lap times, give or take. Therefore, we can’t accurately predict what will happen.
“The smaller, non-driving factors can make a significant difference tomorrow. So, overall, it’s a close competition. We’ll have to figure it out.”