Norris: “The last lap was 'all or nothing'”

The chronicle of the Sprint Qualification

First position on the starting grid for tomorrow morning's Sprint race was conquered by Lando Norriswho emerged as the fastest at the end of a very complicated SQ3, conditioned by rainFrom one hugely slippery track and from one particular management of track limits – despite the adverse weather conditions – by the commissioners.

The McLaren driver preceded his compatriot in the time rankings Lewis Hamiltonwho will start alongside him on the front row with Mercedes, and Fernando Alonso, third with Aston Martin. Max Verstappen was only fourth. Norris was also the protagonist of a mystery, given that his time had initially been deleted from the time board, only to be re-installed later, allowing him to stay ahead of Hamilton, who had improved in the meantime. Fifth and seventh place for the Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc, with Perez sixth between them.

Norris's words

Lando Norris (1st, McLaren): “It was crazy and very complicated in these conditions. There's always nervousness before a qualifying where you know it's going to rain at any moment. We were quite happy in the dry, we had good pace, so I was nervous about this weather. These are conditions in which you have to risk a lot, you have to push but stay on the track. I was fast, I even had to lift my foot a little to avoid the Ferraris. But my lap was enough for pole, I'm happy. These aren't actual qualifications, but that's okay. There are only three laps we could do. I got the first two wrong, so the last one was 'all or nothing'. It was raining more and more and the conditions were getting worse. I made a few mistakes, but it was fun. Luckily it was enough for first place. Let's start from the best position for tomorrow. Sprint race? No idea how we might go. It will depend a lot on the weather. There is a possibility of rain tomorrow too.”