Lando Norris delivered an exceptional flying lap, surpassing Max Verstappen’s best effort and securing pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix ahead of the Red Bull driver.
Max Verstappen expressed his satisfaction, stating he was “very happy,” even though he was outpaced by Lando Norris’s significantly faster lap.
The British driver impressed with a stellar performance at Zandvoort, managing to clock a time that was over three-tenths of a second faster than Verstappen’s best.
Norris’s remarkable lap left the championship leader without a counter, and although Verstappen maintained a smile, he acknowledged that Red Bull currently lacks the pace necessary to achieve the times he desires.
He said: “It is how it is at the moment. The car is not the easiest to drive, but the lap was quite solid, only in turns 11 and 12 was it a bit difficult, but hopefully the car is okay in the race. We will give it a good go, but of course when you are more than three-tenths behind in qualifying, you have to be realistic.
“In the whole qualifying, we just lacked a bit of pace and I tried the best I could. I’m still very happy to be on the front-row, it was tricky out there with the wind, and the gusts coming in so every single lap felt different. You couldn’t really go off reference, but I am happy with second, especially after yesterday, it is a good result.”
Not as happy as Norris, who secured the fourth pole position of his F1 career with one of the very best laps he has ever produced on a Saturday. He put a single finger up into the air to signify what he had done after climbing out of his McLaren.
In the whole qualifying, we just lacked a bit of pace and I tried the best I could. I’m still very happy to be on the front-row, it was tricky out there with the wind, and the gusts coming in so every single lap felt different. You couldn’t really go off reference, but I am happy with second, especially after yesterday, it is a good result.”
Not as happy as Norris, who secured the fourth pole position of his F1 career with one of the very best laps he has ever produced on a Saturday. He put a single finger up into the air to signify what he had done after climbing out of his McLaren.
During his post-session interview, the pleased Briton remarked, “The car felt incredible! We have implemented some upgrades for the first time in quite a while, and everything is functioning exceptionally well, so I extend my gratitude to the team.”
When questioned about his ability to fend off Verstappen, Norris expressed, “I am looking forward to tomorrow. I anticipate it will be challenging; Max has demonstrated remarkable speed throughout the weekend. While we managed to outpace him today, he remains in second place and will certainly put up a strong challenge, particularly at his home race. I am eager for the competition.”
Oscar Piastri will start from third on the grid, much to the delight of the McLaren team. Chief executive Zak Brown was visibly pleased and stated, “We possess the pace to secure a victory.”
George Russell achieved the fourth-fastest time and acknowledged afterward that it was likely the best outcome he could have anticipated. In contrast, his teammate Lewis Hamilton struggled, finishing only 12th in Q2, and is also at risk of a further grid penalty due to an investigation regarding an alleged obstruction of Sergio Perez on the track.
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