Lando Norris expresses disappointment over his "very poor performance" during the qualifying session for the F1 United States GP.
Lando Norris expressed significant frustration regarding his “very poor performance” during the qualifying session for Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix, securing eighth position despite believing a front-row start was within reach.
The current world champion will share the fourth row with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, after initially posting a sixth-place time during his second Q3 attempt, which was later invalidated due to exceeding track limits at Turn 19. His first run's time only qualified him for eighth.
This continues a disappointing streak for McLaren, which hasn't achieved a podium finish in the last three races, falling behind Red Bull in development as Mercedes and Ferrari lead the way.
Despite the MCL40's shortcomings in straight-line speed and performance in slow corners, Norris believes he could have fared significantly better in Austin.
“The car was quite strong today in terms of pace,” he remarked. “Extremely challenging to handle.
“Probably the toughest car I've ever driven in my life. But it had the potential for P2, so I should have been P2 and ended up P8, indicating I did a very poor job today.”
Lando Norris, McLaren
Nevertheless, Norris still believes a strong points return is achievable in Sunday’s race, particularly after topping Q1, although many competitors opted for medium tires rather than softs.
Ultimately, however, the Briton qualified a second behind Mercedes polesitter Kimi Antonelli and 0.835s adrift of Red Bull's second-place Max Verstappen.
“The car was fast, but it's quite unpleasant to drive,” Norris added. “I saw a favorable outcome was possible. I still have faith that we can secure a good result tomorrow.
“I’m unsure how straightforward overtaking will be. For much of the track, we seem competitive.
“We struggle significantly in sector three, particularly in slow-speed corners. Honestly, we’re quite poor there. But tomorrow brings a new opportunity.”
What adds to the frustration for the 26-year-old is that McLaren has introduced the initial phase of its final upgrade package of the season in Texas, including a revised front suspension setup and an updated diffuser design.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
“We strive to enhance it every time,” Norris stated. “We make improvements to the car and bring upgrades.
“However, it seems we’re not completely... I don't know, it could be that the car simply isn't quick enough, and thus there's always the hope that I can pull off an incredible lap and claim P1.
“You may improve three corners, but then the other three become a headache. It's just unfeasible. It’s nearly impossible to reach the level of perfection I aim for right now.
“That’s a challenge, because I want to aim for pole position, yet I have to remind myself to settle for P5, which I don’t want to do.”
Piastri faced similar struggles, as the Australian noted, “I haven’t been nearly as competitive as I hoped to be.”
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