Lando Norris denied Max Verstappen pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix by just two-hundredths of a second to go fastest in qualifying for just the second time in his F1 career.
Lando Norris acknowledged that he had to produce his “finest lap ever” in order to surpass Max Verstappen in Barcelona.
The Dutch driver believed he had performed sufficiently to claim the top starting position for the Spanish Grand Prix. However, in the final moments of the session, Norris managed to slightly surpass Verstappen’s time, securing his second pole position in his racing career.
This accomplishment was achieved despite Verstappen receiving assistance from his teammate, Sergio Perez, who provided a slipstream down the lengthy start-finish straight. On the other hand, Norris had to rely solely on his own skills and precision to compensate for the lack of support. With a smile on his face, he proudly declared that he had indeed achieved perfection.
The driver from McLaren expressed his delight, stating, “It’s an incredible feeling. Poles are always satisfying, and this is my second one in my career. Although I’ve had two Sprint race poles, I don’t consider them as significant… It was an exceptional lap, by far my finest.”
“Max had a slight advantage in Q1 and Q2, so I knew I had to be flawless in Q3 to achieve this, and that’s precisely what I accomplished. I’m genuinely thrilled that I was able to deliver what is probably my greatest lap ever.”
The recent achievements of British drivers in Formula 1 have resulted in a remarkable statistic: the last four pole-sitters in the sport have all represented different teams. Max Verstappen set the pace in Imola, Charles Leclerc impressed his home crowd in Monaco driving for Ferrari, and George Russell delivered a strong performance for Mercedes in Montreal two weeks ago.
This trend highlights the narrowing performance gap between the top teams in Formula 1. Verstappen, who races for Red Bull, embraces this challenge and believes it is beneficial for the sport as a whole. The 26-year-old Dutch driver expressed his enthusiasm, stating that having multiple teams competing closely for pole position adds to the excitement of Formula 1.
I felt content after making it through the qualifying rounds, and during Q3, I received a helpful draft from Checo [Perez] as we approached turn one. However, despite this advantage, it was still not sufficient. Such is the nature of the sport at times.
Hamilton couldn’t contain his joy when he outperformed his teammate Russell in qualifying, marking only the second time this year. Last year, both Mercedes drivers celebrated on the podium in Barcelona, and today they positioned themselves strongly to potentially achieve the same feat. With a radiant smile, Hamilton expressed his happiness and gratitude for securing a spot in the top three. This year has presented its challenges, but this achievement brings him immense satisfaction.
A significant effort from all the team members at the factory has led us to make incremental progress and move closer to the leading competitors. I never imagined I would be contending for pole position… I am simply thankful to be in this position.
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