Lando Norris believes a top-six finish is possible after leading the midfield in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying.
Heading into the weekend it was feared the technical layout wouldn’t suit McLaren, who have identified slow-speed corners as their main weakness.
However, just like Monaco, they would set the pace with Norris showing the same potential he did in his first Formula 1 test with the team in 2017.
“I’ve been pretty comfortable in the car all weekend the majority of the time,” he said in his post-qualifying media session.
“We found a set-up which maybe ultimately wasn’t the quickest, but I was just very comfortable in it and consistent so when it came to qualifying I could always make small improvements which is the thing that counts in the end.
“I almost managed to put the lap together, I’m not trying to be downbeat or anything, I am very happy with P7 and P8 for us as a team,” he insisted.
“In terms of lap time, I don’t think we could have beaten [Pierre] Gasly, so it was a good result especially since here it’s hard to overtake, I look forward to tomorrow.”
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The 19-year-old doesn’t rule out getting ahead of the Red Bull on Sunday, however.
“I think maybe we have a chance of beating some of the cars ahead of us, not on pure pace but more if we get a good start because it’s difficult to overtake, we can maybe keep them behind better than on other tracks,” he explained.
“I just need to make sure I get a good start, have a good strategy and see how it plays out, but normally we’re reasonably good in the race.”
While Norris wasn’t completely satisfied, teammate Carlos Sainz, who starts right behind in eighth, believes he was understating his lap.
“Definitely happy, not 100% but I think the way Lando drove today, when you are just half a tenth off and he has done a perfect lap, it’s easier to admit it and accept defeat in that way,” said the Spaniard.
“Congrats to him and to the team because it’s been great to see that at a low-speed track the McLaren is also working decently and we are best-of-the-rest after a couple of races behind a Haas or an Alfa [Romeo] in qualifying.”