Lando Norris after qualifying disaster: “I did a very poor job”

The third free practice session on Saturday morning suggested that Lando Norris would not have an easy time of it in qualifying for the 18th race of the season at the Circuit of the Americas, as he managed only the eighth-fastest lap. In fact, however, the Formula 1 world champion managed to set the fastest time in the first qualifying segment. But after that, his quest for a faster time went in the wrong direction.

In the second segment, Norris was now fifth fastest, and when it came to securing a top-10 grid position, the McLaren driver lacked the pace to challenge for pole. Norris didn’t even manage to make it into the top three on his second and final attempt. Instead, following an involuntary excursion off the track, he had to settle for an invalidated lap time and eighth place; the excursion cost him two positions.

Lando Norris: Headache tablets

His expression was understandably sombre as he faced the journalists and summed up the situation self-critically: “In terms of pace, the car was brilliant. But it was mad how difficult it was to drive – that was probably the trickiest car I’ve ever driven. But it was fast enough to take second place. So that’s where I should have finished, not in eighth, and that means I did a very poor job.”

He added, however, that he’d also been unlucky because the wind had got in his way on his first attempt. And he emphasised once again that the bumps on the track had caused problems. “I feel that in Formula 1 we should be able to do something about this. As I said, I took some tablets for the headaches before every session. Perhaps there are other drivers who don’t struggle with it as much, but that’s how it is for me. I need them so that I can drive properly.”

Lando Norris: Problems in the slow sections

The 13-time Grand Prix winner also explained: “We’re trying to keep improving the car and we’re bringing in upgrades too, but there’s something we don’t really understand. Perhaps it’s simply not fast enough, but there’s always the hope of taking first place with a mega lap. Yet you improve over three corners, and the next three hairpin bends are suddenly a nightmare again. It’s just impossible. It’s impossible to achieve the level of perfection I’d like in this car. That’s difficult, because I want to give it my all, but I’d have to settle for fifth place, and I simply don’t want that.”

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Looking ahead to the race, Norris finally remarked: “I don’t know how easy it will be to overtake an opponent. But on most of the track, we’re obviously on a par with the competition. It’s only the third sector that’s causing us concern; we’re having major difficulties in the slow sections, and to be honest, that’s dreadful.”