Lando Norris accused himself of “making too many mistakes” after only qualifying for the sixth for the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint on Saturday.
Norris was faster by almost half a second in the only practical meeting and looked good in the last part of the Sprint he qualified after the SQ2 installation.
The McLaren driver was four tenths by Oscar Piasstri’s teammate after his first SQ3 round, he was then locked in the hairpin with his final effort, such as Lewis Hamilton, who took Polo, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and George Russell, all.
“I made a mistake. I was locked in the last corner. We just struggled a little more now. It just wasn’t fast enough, just,” said Norris, who won Australian’s Australian Grand Prix last Sunday.
“I struggled a lot with the car, only our difficulties we are fighting showed me much more today, so nothing more than that, honestly, just too many mistakes, but very difficult for a car to drive.”
Norris took the common pole positions in 2024, but small mistakes from themselves or their team often cost to win races. It is an area that McLaren has tried to iron, especially as Verstappen is almost always there to capitalize.
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Lando Norris gives his reaction after only a qualifying sixth for Saturday’s sprint in China
The frustrating performance was “more for me and not for the car” according to Norris after “trying to push too much”.
“I think just throughout the day we fight a little with the front key and in the last corner with heaven,” he added.
“Ensure much more aligned with Bahrain, much more lift, when the wind blows then we fight much more. I think both he and Oscar have fought more, clearly more than him.
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Ted Kravitz and Bernie Collins explain why McLaren has not been punished by Flexi-wing clampdown of F1 in Chinese Grand Prix
Piasstri Agger McLaren can still fight on the front
McLaren was strong in heavy fuels throughout the tests before the season and last weekend in Melbourne, with Mercedes and Red Bull declaring that it is a step ahead of the tire wear.
The sprint in Shanghai, which takes place at 3am on Saturday live Sky Sports F1 and Main Sky Sports eventIt will be 19 rounds long and long angles will mean that tire degradation is an issue.
Piasstri, who will start from the third, believes that McLaren was mistaken for the Sprint Pricting Run plan and should be in shape with the 100km shortened race.
“We were fast at the wrong places. SQ1 and SQ2 felt good, but SQ3. We tried something a little different and it came out much earlier. We tried two rounds, something I’m not sure was the best thing in the end. It’s something we need to see,” he said.
“But the pace of the car is still very strong and I’m sure we can fight on the front.”
Verstappen: It will be difficult to keep McLarens back
The king of the world champion Verstappen was just as amazing as Hamilton’s sprint.
Only 0.018s separated the twin, which will share the first row of the network for the first time from 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.
“The balance was not massively away. We were very slow,” Verstappen said.
“But this is good for us, a little motivation push for all of us who continue to nail the rounds and maximize what you have and you have to do so when you fight a little more for the pace.”
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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was happy with his performance after the second for Sprint
In McLaren’s expected charge, he added: “It looked very quickly until the last course, so it will be difficult to keep them back.” Hopefully it will be fun and we can fight a little, that would be nice to me. “
Verstappen’s teammate Liam Lawson had another disappointing qualifying as a middle -class mistake in the last place and out on the SQ1.
“I went to my second round. Obviously ashamed, from a starting point it was not very bad. The first round was okay and we were trying to build from there,” he said.
“We stayed out to try and cool the tires and really fought to lower temperatures. We started very hot and through the round I fought.
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Liam Lawson apologizes to his team after being hit by SQ1 and qualified for Sprint
Russell ‘surprised’ by McLaren’s performance
Mercedes was unable to compete in the race for Sprint Polo in Shanghai, as Russell identified the fifth and Kimi Antonelli seventh.
Russell was three tenths from Hamilton, but defeated Norris and will surely play a role in the sprint.
“Pretty happy with the round on SQ3.
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Get on board with Lewis Hamilton as he got an impressive pole for Sprint qualified in Chinese Grand Prix
“I think the p5 was where we were today. It was weird. At SQ2 at a time when I was out of the Top 10, the next one I jumped to P2 and didn’t feel different, to be honest.
“I think he can go in any way among the top pairs of teams. It was a little surprise with McLaren because they were flying in practice, flying to SQ1 and SQ2, but then, in the end, Lewis and Max did a good job.
“We were right behind them. I think we have a shot in the sprint. It could be an interesting race.”
Sky Sports F1 Live Chinese GP
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As the Chinese Grand Prix hosts the first of six sprints this season, Simon Lazenby explains why this form is so critical
Saturday 22 March
- 2.25 am: Chinese accumulation of GP sprint*
- 3am: Chinese GP Sprint*
- 5.45 AM: F1 Academy Race 1*
- 6.35am: Chinese GP Qualifiers Extension*
- 7am: Chinese GP qualifying*
- 9am: TED’s qualifying note*
Sunday 23 March
- 2.40 am: F1 Academy Race 2
- 5.30 am: Chinese accumulation GP: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 7am: The Chinese Grand Prix*
- 9am: Chinese reaction GP: checkery flag*
- 10am: Ted’s notebook*
*Also in Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Shanghai this week for the first weekend Sprint of the season at Chinese GP, Live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract, cancel at any time
