Lando Norris is expecting a Racing Point response in Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, this after McLaren claimed P4 and P6 on the grid.
Having already put in a strong first run on used tyres in Q3, the Briton was mightily impressive on new softs for his second lap, pipping Alex Albon’s Red Bull.
In fact, so quick was Norris that he finished qualifying only a quarter of a second off pole, a margin that certainly Lando was surprised by.
“Yes, a lot. I don’t know where it came from,” he was quoted by Crash.net.
“We’ve been confident all weekend, and been dong a good job and the car has been much nicer this weekend than it was last weekend. So we understand some things.
“But at the end of the day, to only be two tenths off pole, that’s what surprises me a bit more. I’m happy because I felt like I did a very good lap, and my gap to Carlos was three and a half tenths one of the biggest of the whole year.
“I’m very happy, as I feel like I deserved it and put a very good lap together but at the same time to be two tenths off pole position is not that much at the end of the day. Surprised but also very happy and in a good position for tomorrow.”
Indeed, heading into Sunday, McLaren needs to outscore Racing Point by 11 points to clinch third in the Constructors’ standings.
And with Lance Stroll eighth and Sergio Perez at the back due to engine-related penalties, you’d think the Woking-based team might be favourites.
“It’s a good position for us tomorrow,” Norris acknowledged. “But Sergio was last at last weekend’s race after T4 and he won the race.
“They are going to be coming through, will be very fast tomorrow. Sergio has been quite a bit quicker than Lance all weekend, so if anyone is going to be coming through, it’s going to be Sergio.
“And the car is very quick, but at the same time, we were in a good rhythm the car was performing well. Will see what we can do tomorrow, still a different story, it’s not confirmed yet.”