Norris Unsatisfied Despite Fourth in Sprint Qualifying

Lando Norris expressed frustration after securing fourth in Austin, admitting balance issues but maintaining it “could have been worse.”

Lando Norris was left unsatisfied with his fourth-place finish in the Sprint Qualifying at Austin, while Max Verstappen secured pole position for the 100 km race. The McLaren F1 driver didn’t mince his words when expressing his disappointment.

“It wasn’t a good day. I’ve struggled all day with balance and the setup. In a way, I’m pleased to be fourth because I feel it could have been much worse. But my lap was shocking. It’s not a terrible day,” Norris said, adding that he’s uncertain about what to expect in the Sprint.

“It could have been worse, it could have been better. It’s not a new package. I just have to keep pushing—that’s my plan. But in terms of pace, I think we’re where we deserve to be today. I plan to improve, but I’ve no idea what we can do.”

Piastri Frustrated After Lap Deletion Leaves Him 16th

Oscar Piastri had reason to be disappointed after finishing 16th in Sprint Qualifying. The Australian had initially progressed to SQ2, but his lap was deleted, dropping him to an elimination position.

“Most of the lap was good, I made a few mistakes but I tried to come out of the corner too quickly, and this is the result. It’s a shame, but the good thing about this weekend is that we get another chance tomorrow,” Piastri said.

“It’s alright, not as strong as we’ve been in recent races, but I don’t think we’re weak—it’s just that others have made progress. We’re not far off, but it’s going to be a bit tougher for us than on other weekends.”

Piastri hopes to aim for a decent result in the Sprint but admits it will be difficult starting from the eighth row: “We’ll see. It’ll be tough to reach the points from where we are, but we’ll give it a go!”