Lando Norris has contended he doesn’t envisage the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix repeating what occurred in Japan should Max Verstappen hold the lead at the start.
Norris missed out on a return to pole position at the venue where he clinched his maiden win 12 months ago as Verstappen nipped in a slender 0.065 seconds ahead.
Verstappen’s stellar lap was the third time this season he has set the quickest time, though last time out in Saudi Arabia a slow start cost him the win to Oscar Piastri.
Norris, who rued a compromised run through Turn 17 on his best attempt, has set his sights on replicating his team-mate in gaining the high ground going into Turn 1.
But unlike in Suzuka when Verstappen relied on limited overtaking opportunities to maintain his lead to the end, Norris reckons there will be openings later in the race.
“The DRS helps a lot around here with the overtaking. It’s what you need,” Norris told media including Motorsport Week.
“You also have some much bigger braking zones than you have in Suzuka, so I hope so anyway.
“I hope that’s the case and we can have a good race tomorrow.”
However, Norris isn’t dismissing the threat that Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was on pole in the Sprint, and McLaren team-mate Piastri could pose from the second row.
“But I don’t just expect competition from Max,” he continued.
“Kimi’s been quick all weekend and Oscar has been as well. So yeah, I just expect a tough race from all accounts.”
Verstappen insists McLaren has upper hand
Meanwhile, Verstappen adopted a pessimistic stance on Red Bull’s race prospects, as he highlighted that McLaren still harbours the upper hand on tyre preservation.
“I think that overall they are better in the race,” he assessed. “You saw that on Intermediates in the rain as well [in the Sprint].
“As soon as those tyres start to overheat, they have a huge advantage. So, then we are all doing something wrong with the tyres, apart from McLaren.
“What I saw today in the rain was not so great, McLaren was stronger there as well.
“I think overall they are just a bit better now, so then it’s always going to be a difficult race.
“But at least we are in front on the grid and hopefully we can make it difficult for them.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen: Red Bull ‘needs more’ than Miami upgrades ‘to be really in a fight’
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