Lando Norris says he took further satisfaction from taking pole place for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix as a result of he was in such hassle with the situations early on within the qualifying session.
Qualifying began at 7:30am native time on Sunday morning as a result of climate forecast, having been postponed from Saturday afternoon, and with an earlier race begin of 12:30pm to comply with. Norris gained Saturday’s Dash within the dry, however within the moist he solely made it via Q1 in fifteenth place and was effectively off the tempo earlier than discovering huge enhancements in a delayed session to take pole place from George Russell.
“There was lots occurring at this time, however tremendous, tremendous joyful, as a result of I used to be struggling lots in the beginning of qualifying — I had a whole lot of work to do,” Norris stated. “I used to be not snug in any respect, so to finish up on pole… I labored at it lots via qualifying, I had a whole lot of areas I wanted to enhance on however I did precisely that. So a bit of bit shocked, once more — I’ve been shocked a bit of bit currently, so a bit of bit shocked to be on pole — however I felt good ultimately.”
Alex Albon was provisionally alongside Norris on the entrance row late in Q3 earlier than crashing closely and being dominated out of the race as a result of harm, and the McLaren driver admits that was an added side to contemplate when it got here to how arduous he might push.
“Very [difficult], in all probability greater than it seems to be on TV at instances. You’re at all times looking for that subsequent little bit however you noticed how many individuals had been going off, so it was simple to finish up badly and find yourself in a wall or do one thing the place you may not even make the race later at this time.
“In order that danger/reward was not simple at this time, particularly from the place I used to be in Q1 I discovered it very robust to know, ‘How way more can I push?’ That’s why I’m joyful, as a result of it’s a relieving qualifying after one thing like this.”
Norris says he gained’t be listening to how the race is unfolding behind him when it begins early this afternoon, regardless of Max Verstappen provisionally seventeenth on the grid, as he believes any driver is usually a risk within the moist.
“I’ve bought some fast guys behind — George put in a pleasant lap, Yuki [Tsunoda] has been flying within the moist all day at this time. So it’s by no means simple in these situations. It’s by no means as a lot as simply settling down and getting on with it — as a lot as that’s what I want to do, it’s not at all times the simplest factor. We’ll put together effectively. I hope we are able to get a race in — that will be a very good begin — and I’m excited to see what we are able to do.”
