Lando Norris admits he thought his podium chances had gone before a remarkable late charge to clinch third at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Briton had spent most of the race fighting with Sergio Perez for fourth, with the pair notably squabbling out of the pits as the McLaren just got out again.
Though the Racing Point had got ahead later on track, the decision to pit again under the second safety car proved correct as he boldly passed the Mexican at Turn 3 for fourth.
Norris then reeled off several qualifying-style laps, including setting the fastest lap on the final tour, to just finish within the five-second penalty Lewis Hamilton had been given to colliding with Alex Albon to snatch third.
“I am speechless,” he said afterwards.
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“There were a few points in the race where I thought I fudged it up quite a bit. I was down to fifth with a couple of laps to go and Carlos [Sainz] almost got past me, but I didn’t give up and I managed to get back past Perez to end up on the podium!
“It was a long race but I kept going, giving it my all, a pretty cool last few laps having to push as much as I could and now I am a bit out of breath!”
The result marks McLaren’s second podium in three races, after Sainz also benefited from a Hamilton penalty for hitting Albon to finish third in Brazil last year.
“I am so happy, I am so proud of the team, considering where we were a few years ago, it is a pretty good achievement so I am proud to be a part of it all,” Norris added.
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“The last few laps, when I got past Checo I knew he had a five-second penalty but nothing more than that and I always seemed to struggle when I was close to the cars ahead, I was more vulnerable to cars behind.
“So I knew I had to get past him and then the Lewis penalty came up so I had to turn it up and start pushing, but it is about rhythm here and I was locking up.
“It was going downhill quickly but I recovered well and I am here.”
