Norris – Fourth place a “very good result” but should have been third

Lando Norris believes he “should have” taken third on the grid for Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix after losing time in the final corner.

The McLaren driver secured a second row start for Sunday’s grand prix in Friday’s qualifying session, setting a time that was less than a tenth of a second slower than Carlos Sainz Jnr in third.

Norris had been level on time to the Ferrari entering the final corner but slowed more than Sainz into turn 10 which cost him a position. Norris apologised to his team over team radio after completing his lap, saying “I fucked the last corner.”

Speaking after qualifying, Norris said he was happy to take a place on the second row of the grid but was left ruing what could have been third place.

“I just messed up my lap a bit, so I should have had Carlos, but just a ‘shoulda’,” he said. “So I’m still very happy – P4 is a very good result for us, especially for a main quali.

Norris is the only one of the two McLaren drivers running with the benefit of a raft of upgrades on his car for this weekend.

“The car’s been working very well, so I have to say a big thanks to the team for getting all the new bits here because we wouldn’t be P4 if we didn’t have that,” he said. “So super-happy and a good one for the team.

“It was decent all day. As soon as we put the car down, things were working as they were meant to be – which is always a good sign. I guess as a driver, if you don’t put the perfect lap together when it could have been something that little bit more, which would be a P3, then you wish you could just put it together. But I’m very happy.”

With wet weather forecast for today’s sprint sessions, Norris says he would not mind if Saturday’s action is affected by rain.

“Especially for us, normally even if we’re slow in the dry we can be alright in the wet too,” he said. “I don’t mind. I mean, we’re obviously performing well here.

“It depends on the weather. I’m praying probably for some rain, but if it’s dry too, I don’t mind. Just maybe not quite as confident, but I don’t mind either way.”

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