Top favorite Lando Norris only finishes third in Formula 1 qualifying at Silverstone: Why you should still count on McLaren in the race
Lando Norris was the big favorite for pole position at Silverstone after his impressions on Friday practice, but the McLaren driver had to settle for third place behind both Mercedes drivers in qualifying on Saturday. However, Norris made a driving error on his final Q3 lap, but it would not have been enough for first place on the grid, as the Briton explained after qualifying
“I just went wide at turn 14 and that was it,” was the Miami winner’s succinct assessment. “But I was already one and a half tenths behind. I think George and Lewis did a great job to get the two cars up there. It shows that the team is also doing a great job. It was super close though.”
Looking at the sector times, McLaren lost most of the time in the final sector, although they were slower than Mercedes in all three sections. However, with a completely perfect lap, Norris could probably have split the Silver Arrows: “I think if I had got a good lap in, it would have been close and it would have been a bit of a battle,” said the 24-year-old. “But they seemed to be very fast all weekend. “
Norris on home win: Race pace is normally our strength
But McLaren should by no means be written off for the race. Lando Norris set the fastest long run times in the second free practice session, closely followed by Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were around two tenths off the pace per lap, but the colder temperatures seem to have turned the balance of power somewhat upside down.
In addition to Mercedes, who were “one of the fastest teams” at Silverstone last year, Norris is counting on Max Verstappen in particular. The Dutchman finished fourth on the grid with major damage to his underbody and was Norris’ closest rival in the long runs.”
“I’m sure Max will be racing against us tomorrow, but I’ve got two other guys to worry about,” said Norris. “So I’m not just worried about Red Bull. I think our strategy has been very good over the last two months, so I’m happy. The team is doing a good job, so I’m confident we can have a good race.”
“We need a good pace. And from what we know and what we’ve seen in the last few races, we’re confident that we can move forward,” says Norris, dreaming of a possible home win.
However, he sees Mercedes ahead when it comes to the tire issue: “I expect them to be very fast tomorrow, especially as they are able to conserve their front tires very well,” says Norris. “They have a very good front axle. And I think that will be a good savior for them tomorrow. But we are there. We’ve been very fast in the races over the last two months. That was probably one of our strengths. “