Lando Norris was unwilling to allow his DNF from the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix Sprint as an “excuse” for missing out on pole position for Sunday’s race.
The Brit was unable to compete with Max Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas, finishing up second on the grid but nearly three tenths down on the Dutchman.
It was a brighter eventuality than what Norris received earlier in the day, being taken out on the opening lap of the Sprint Race, after Nico Hulkenberg tagged team-mate Oscar Piastri, who blamelessly t-boned Norris into retirement.
Norris is still in a strong position, with the McLaren race pace expected to be strong due to its tyre management nous, and also because chief title rival Piastri lines up sixth.
Speaking after qualifying, Norris indicated that his feel of the MCL39 was actually better on Saturday than it had been on Sunday, but conceded he did not set his “best lap”.
“Too difficult,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“Yesterday, I was pretty happy with everything and things came a bit easier. Today, not so much.
“And I think that was clear already in Q1, Q2, and Q3. So, yeah, I guess some stuff for us to look into why we probably struggled a bit more compared to yesterday.
“And we know that the wind and temperature and stuff was a little bit different.
“So, yeah, some things for us to figure out. Not my best lap – I said that on the radio after. So, yeah, just not a great session. So to be P2 I’m still pretty happy with.”
Norris aware that US GP could be ‘unpredictable’
The COTA layout is regarded as a tough one to negotiate, given the bumps, as well as the weather, which he been very hot but also sunny, so admitted Norris.
“I think quite a bit, honestly, because we’ve not done — I don’t think I’ve done more than three laps in a row and not more than, like, 40 kilos of fuel. So, I have no idea.
“We don’t know if it’s going to be amazing or terrible, certainly around here because it’s so difficult with the bumps and the bottoming and the winds. It’s unpredictable.
“So, we were hoping to learn a lot this morning in the Sprint, in terms of how the car set-up was going to be from quali to race and how it changes and the things that are good and bad.
“And then hopefully make tweaks for this quali for the race tomorrow. But obviously that didn’t go to plan.
“So, yeah, we’re certainly on the back foot, but I guess we will try not to use that as an excuse tomorrow.”
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