Lando Norris admitted that the McLaren Formula 1 team didn’t expect to be “close” to Red Bull after securing third place on the grid for tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Norris mentioned earlier in the week about a need for an “opposite” approach to qualifying, expressing he was pushing too hard to chase the ultimate one-lap potential.
The Brit cited that pushing his MCL60 hurt the tyres and his overall qualifying performances but he appeared to appropriately manage his self-expressed “fine line between over-pushing and under-pushing” during Saturday’s qualifying session to emerge just under three-tenths shy of eventual polesitter Max Verstappen.
With Red Bull firmly entrenched as the ultimate pacesetters in Suzukawith Sergio Perez locking out the front row, Norris and McLaren claimed the ‘best of the rest’ title.
Norris said the squad expected to be “closer” to Red Bull in Japan – thanks in part to its MCL38 car’s strength in high-speed corners – but “not as close as we were today.”
Regarding the fight to finish first behind Red Bull, Norris said “It was close between many people, us, Mercedes, Aston, Ferrari.
“Between eight cars we knew it was going to be tricky so to come out on top behind the fastest two is a good job by us, so I’m happy.”
Norris said it was still “tricky to put in the good laps” during qualifying, but was still positive about his performance, citing that its evidence of McLaren’s winter progress.
“My two Q3 laps I was the happiest with,” he added. “Which is always a good bonus.”Two-tenths is not far away.
“I think if you kind of look back to where we were last year we were even further away, I think five-tenths off of pole.
“This is the first track we’ve come back to where we had our upgrades last season.
“So I think it’s our best comparison of how we’ve improved over the winter. And we’re quite a bit closer. So I think that’s a very good sign.”
Norris is now in prime position to secure a second successive podium at Suzuka starting from the second row of the grid, with Ferrair’s Carlos Sainz set to start in fourth.
The McLaren driver was understandably realistic regarding expectations of fighting Red Bull and believes his task will be to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind him.
“Obviously last year I was side by side with Max [Verstappen] into turn one,” Norris assessed.
“So hopefully [I can] redo that. But it’s tricky. They’re quick.
“[Verstappen and Perez] complained about their race pace, but I don’t think they’ve had a bad race in the last four or five years. So I think they’re going to be good tomorrow.
“Of course, you’ve got a lot of pressure from behind, so we have to keep an eye on the mirrors.
“But at the same time I want to go forward and I think we have pace to stay where we are. So that’s my goal.”
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