Norris Acknowledges Qualifying Shortcomings Ahead of Emilia-Romagna GP
Lando Norris of McLaren expressed concerns over his recent qualifying performance, admitting to “a lot of mistakes” during the session for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The Briton will start from fourth position, trailing behind George Russell, Max Verstappen, and his teammate Oscar Piastri, who secured pole with a time nearly three-tenths faster than Norris.
Reflecting on his struggles, Norris noted, “Never good enough in my final lap in quali. Everyone goes quicker, and I always go slower. Just not good enough.” Over the course of the season, Norris has qualified ahead of Piastri only three times, highlighting a noticeable dip in his typically strong qualifying form.
In his post-qualifying interview, Norris remarked, "None of my performances in Q3 have been strong enough this year," while also emphasizing, “I’m not going to just blame the car; that’s not me.” He acknowledged feeling competitive during earlier qualifying sessions (Q1 and Q2) but has struggled to translate that pace into Q3 success.
Despite these challenges, Norris remains hopeful for the race. He pointed to McLaren’s recent proficiency in tyre management as a potential advantage. “I think we can do better as a team than others, maybe that will open up my chances to do overcuts or undercuts on the guys ahead,” he stated, indicating a strategic mindset heading into the race.
As the Emilia-Romagna GP approaches, all eyes will be on Norris to see if he can leverage his team’s strengths to improve upon his qualifying results.
