Lando Norris, the British driver for McLaren, celebrated securing the top spot in the Sprint qualifying parc ferme for the Chinese Grand Prix. Norris took a gamble by completing a final lap that was crucial in securing pole position for the race.
Despite McLaren’s expectations of a challenging race weekend due to the characteristics of the Shanghai track, Norris remained competitive throughout every session.
During the second segment of Sprint qualifying, a rain shower occurred, resulting in wet conditions for the final part of the session. Norris took advantage of these conditions and managed to secure first place with a significant 1.2-second lead over Lewis Hamilton.
However, Norris initially faced a setback when his quickest lap time was deleted for running wide at the final corner. This deletion also affected his pole position, but it was later reinstated.
Reflecting on his achievement, Norris expressed his happiness and gratitude towards his team. He acknowledged the challenging nature of the session, particularly with the anticipation of rain before qualifying.
Despite feeling confident in the dry conditions and the team’s overall pace throughout the weekend, Norris admitted to feeling nervous. He emphasized the need to take risks and push hard in order to build tire temperature and maintain a competitive edge.
Norris also mentioned his struggle with catching up to the Ferrari, which forced him to back off and not perform well in the first two laps. However, he managed to deliver a strong final lap, securing pole position and ultimately feeling satisfied with his performance.
Although Norris acknowledged that it was not a conventional qualifying session, he expressed contentment with the outcome. He admitted to feeling anxious when he decided to abandon his previous laps due to worsening precipitation, knowing that he only had one final lap to make it count.
“But the weather conditions worsened during the final two laps, becoming increasingly wet. This made me a bit nervous as I started to experience aquaplaning and made a few mistakes. However, it was also an exhilarating experience. Despite these challenges, we managed to come out on top, which is exactly what we were aiming for.
Tomorrow, I will be starting from the front of the grid in the Sprint for the second time. Regardless of the weather conditions, I have confidence in McLaren’s pace. It’s difficult to predict what will happen tomorrow, but we did some preparation this morning by completing consecutive laps to gain a better understanding.
If the weather is similar to today, with a chance of rain, then I believe our chances are relatively good. However, the race is a different challenge compared to qualifying, and I expect other teams to catch up. Nevertheless, our pace is strong whether it’s wet or dry, and we find ourselves in a favorable position.
Overall, it’s been a pleasant surprise, and I’m incredibly happy. The team has done a fantastic job, the car feels great, and I’m feeling confident. All our hard work is paying off.”