Lando Norris downplayed McLaren’s standout practice pace at the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend despite topping both Friday sessions.
The British driver pointed to a scruffy FP2 as a reason to remain cautious ahead of Saturday’s qualifying at the Hungaroring.
While Oscar Piastri ran Norris close in the opening session – just 0.019s separating the McLaren pair – Norris was less satisfied with his second practice run.
Only Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc came near the Woking-based squad’s duo in FP1, with the rest of the field trailing by over half a second.
In FP2, both McLarens dipped into the 1:15s, with Norris edging Piastri by 0.291s to top the timesheets once again.
But the 25-year-old gave fans a few heart-in-mouth moments during the session – first with a near-miss after dipping his front-left tyre onto the grass, losing the rear briefly but regaining control just in time to avoid the barriers.
Later, in the closing stages, Norris locked up into Turn 1 as he exited the pits, narrowly avoiding contact with team-mate Piastri, who happened to be passing at the same moment.
After the session, despite showcasing the blistering pace of the MCL39, Norris remained cautious about what it truly signified heading into the rest of the weekend.
“I mean, the car since the first lap felt pretty good,” Norris said. “So yeah, good – like all my laps have been decent.
“I think this session [FP2] was a little bit more messy. Just in low fuel, high fuel, a few more mistakes, but all part of it.
“All part of practice and trying to find the limits in different areas. So yeah, good understandings.
“I think I know what I want from the car, but yeah, it might be a bit harder trying to get it.”
Piastri notes steady progress as Norris stays cautiously optimistic
Piastri also gave his thoughts on how the day went, highlighting steady progress despite some bumps along the way.
“I think generally,” yes, he replied when asked if he was pleased with McLaren’s performance today.
“We’ve had to change a few things and try and make the car a bit better, but the performance has been very good.
“So all in all, pretty happy. Some things to tidy up. It wasn’t the smoothest of FP2s, but I think the underlying pace is good. Excited for the rest of the weekend.”
When asked about his race runs, Norris admitted he spent more time battling other drivers than focusing on clear laps.
“I need to have a look [at the race runs],” he admitted. “I don’t know what I was like. I spent more time trying to race people than just to race laps.
“So yeah, it doesn’t really matter today at the minute, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Regarding his confidence ahead of qualifying – especially after securing pole here 12 months ago – Norris is upbeat.
“I mean, I have a better car than I had last year. More chance, but some tough competition,” he concluded.
READ MORE – Lando Norris heads Oscar Piastri in FP2 for F1 Hungarian GP
Discussion about this post