'Felt Like One Of The Worst Laps I've Done': Norris Reflects On Achieving Pole Position

Saturday, 04 November 2023 at 19:00

Updated at Tuesday, 02 January 2024 at 20:23

McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris shared his thoughts about pole position right after the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix Sprint Shootout at Interlagos Circuit.

The pace of McLaren drivers looked pretty strong from the first Free Practice session. However, they did not get to show it when it counted as extreme weather conditions in qualifying, which destroyed their efforts.

Lando Norris specifically looked disappointed after the Qualifying session on Friday saying his car had the pace to achieve the pole position, he just could not put the lap together in the Q3.

While his efforts were only enough for P7 on Friday, the 23-year-old managed to bounce back on Saturday when he put in the fastest lap of the Sprint Shootout session, putting his McLaren on pole for the Sprint Race.

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Nevertheless, Norris was not satisfied with his final lap at all, as he told Naomi Schiff during the post-sprint shootout interview.

"It was a good day today. I mean, honestly, it felt like one of the worst laps I've done, so I'm a little bit surprised, but it's a good surprise."

On the other hand, the McLaren driver admitted scoring the pole is a great result, especially after the Friday Qualification. Norris added:

"I feel like I made up for yesterday. So, yeah, it is my first pole in a long time, so I'm happy. The pace has been good all weekend. The car has been very strong, so we're on the right track. But it's a tough one."

Red Bull Racing team with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez is always stronger during races, and the two drivers will start from P2 and P3 right behind Norris.

"The Red Bulls are always quick, and Max is always quick, so it's not going to be an easy race. But the pace is strong. If we're going to have any chance, I'll give it my all."