Norris reflects on challenging SQ3 in China with difficult McLaren

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Lando Norris expressed disappointment following Sprint Qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix after dropping from topping SQ2 to finishing sixth in SQ3. Fresh off a victory in Australia, Norris started the Shanghai weekend strong, leading Friday’s practice session.

However, his fortunes shifted during the pole position shootout with errors in both attempts, resulting in a sixth-place finish. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton claimed pole, leaving Norris to defend his championship lead from a less favorable position.

Norris attributed his performance to mistakes and a difficult car. “I made a mistake – I locked up in the last corner,” Norris explained, citing issues with front locking and a challenging tailwind. “We struggled a lot with the car… not quick enough, simply… too many mistakes – just too difficult of a car to drive.”

Norris shared his struggles with the MCL39’s characteristics, particularly under windy conditions akin to those in Bahrain testing. He noted both he and teammate Oscar Piastri encountered difficulties, with Norris pushing harder to compensate for the lack of pace. “I just need to back off a little bit, not try and push so much,” he admitted.

Despite the challenges, Norris remains optimistic. “The car’s still good and in a good window, maybe not good enough for pole, but we can definitely go forward,” he stated. Norris will start Saturday’s 100-kilometer Sprint three places behind Piastri, who secured third on the grid behind Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

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