F1 News: Lando Norris Disappointed - "Didn't Do What I Should Have Done"
In a session full of excitement, Lando Norris openly expresses his disappointment with his qualifying performance for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Despite a promising start, mistakes during crucial moments saw him secure a seventh-place start.
Key Takeaways:
- Norris acknowledged mistakes in Turn 1 and Turn 4, affecting his final Q3 run.
- He highlighted the tight competition, where a minimal improvement could have significantly boosted his position.
- Despite initial struggles, Norris noted an improvement in the car's performance as the session progressed.
McLaren Press Image
Following a mixed qualifying session at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lando Norris of McLaren offered a reflective insight into the demanding session.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Norris shared his thoughts on the session, particularly focusing on the mistakes that held him back from a potentially better starting position.
"I made a mistake in Turn 1 and Turn 4, so my first sector was probably three tenths off what it should have been.
"If all I did was improve one tenth, it was four positions. So, mixed feelings because the car got better and better through qualifying, especially when the wind calmed down, the car came alive and things felt great, it was lovely to drive.
"I just didn't do what I should have done.
"If you told me could we be P2 before this weekend, I would have been surprised but it was possible, so a good thing for us as a team."
Norris also spoke about the quickly evolving track conditions during the qualifying session and how they played to his advantage.
"I got told it was meant to be warmer tomorrow, so that's something I don't look forward to.
"I've not done more than 12 or 13 laps in a row yet because we had some problems in testing.
"We have learned plenty and from my runs yesterday I learned a lot, so the pace is good and we saw last year the race pace was strong in most conditions."
The qualifying session saw Max Verstappen take pole position, with notable performances from Charles Leclerc and George Russell. Conversely, Alpine faced challenges, while Haas exceeded expectations - especially Nico Hulkenberg who qualified P10 on the grid.