Lando Norris has blasted his ‘shocking’ lap after a disappointing performance during the United States Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying as he prepares to start Saturday’s race from fourth.
After a stellar performance at the previous race in Singapore, where he claimed victory by a huge margin, expectations were high for the McLaren driver as he approached the weekend. However, his fourth-place finish in Sprint Qualifying left him visibly frustrated and questioning his car’s performance.
Lando Norris’ lap time of 1:32.833 placed him just a quarter of a second behind Max Verstappen, who secured pole position for the Sprint. Despite the narrow gap, he expressed dissatisfaction with his overall performance, describing it as “shocking.”
The British driver acknowledged that he struggled throughout the day with car balance and setup issues, which hindered his ability to compete effectively against his rivals.
“Not very good,” Norris told F1 TV. “I’m P4, so not a great day. I’ve been struggling the whole day, honestly, with the balance and the setup.”
The McLaren team had introduced several upgrades for this race, including modifications to the front wing and suspension. However, Norris noted that these changes did not significantly enhance the car’s performance compared to previous races.
He stated that his MCL38 felt “pretty much the same” as it did last month, indicating that while upgrades were implemented, they did not translate into the expected improvements on track.
Norris’ fourth-place finish means he will share the second row with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for Saturday’s United States Grand Prix Sprint event. The grid spot is crucial as it sets the stage for his efforts to gain ground in the championship standings against Verstappen, who currently leads by 52 points.
With only six races remaining in the season, Norris is acutely aware that he needs to maximize every opportunity to close this gap.
Reflecting on his performance during Sprint Qualifying, Norris expressed mixed feelings about securing fourth place. While he acknowledged that it could have been worse, he remained focused on what could have been achieved with a better lap.
“In a way, I’m happy with P4 because I felt like it could have been a lot worse,” he added. ‘But my lap was shocking.
“So yeah, not a terrible day – could have been worse, could have been better, but I’ll take it.”
As Norris prepares for the upcoming Sprint race and subsequent Grand Prix qualifying session, he remains cautiously optimistic about McLaren’s race pace relative to their competitors.
“I hope to go forward; that’s my plan,” he stated when asked about his strategy for Saturday. However, he admitted uncertainty regarding how much progress could realistically be made given the current performance levels of both McLarens compared to rival teams.
The Sprint Qualifying session also saw Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri struggle to advance past SQ1 due to a track limits violation. His struggles compounded McLaren’s challenges during the qualifying session, setting an uphill battle for both drivers as they seek to improve their standings in Austin.
The backdrop of this disappointing qualifying performance is particularly significant given that Norris has been a strong contender throughout the season. His recent victories have positioned him as a serious title challenger; however, this setback raises questions about whether McLaren can maintain its competitive edge against powerhouse teams like Red Bull and Mercedes.
