Norris Targets Victory After Securing Qatar Sprint Pole Position

Lando Norris secured pole in Qatar, aiming to bounce back from Las Vegas and help McLaren maximize points in the Sprint race.

Lando Norris secured pole position for the Sprint in Qatar, and the McLaren F1 driver didn’t hide his delight at achieving this after two weekends of setbacks. The Briton praised the enjoyment of driving and the accomplishment of his first goal.

“It’s so fast here. It’s the fastest circuit of the year. In the final sector, it feels like you’re just hanging on,” Norris said. “A good qualifying, especially to bounce back after Las Vegas.”

“It’s a good thing to do. It was a decent lap. I made too many mistakes on my second lap. We came here to get pole, and that’s what we did, so the job is done today.”

Norris knows that with McLaren’s pole and Oscar Piastri’s third-place finish, the team can close the gap to Ferrari, and he is determined to win and help the team: “I want to win. As drivers, we want to win every session. Our goal is to get a 1-2 finish. We want to maximize points for the constructors.”

“We want to go all the way. We know it will be a battle. Mercedes will be quick, Ferrari will be quick. I don’t expect an easy race, but probably an exciting one for everyone watching, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Piastri, meanwhile, was pleased with his third place, although he felt he could have done better on his quick lap: “I’m reasonably happy. I didn’t quite nail the best lap of my life, but in these conditions, it’s tough.”

“I struggled a bit at the start, but I felt I was in the mix towards the end, with very tight gaps. This circuit is amazing to drive. There’s a lot more grip than last year, so the high-speed corners are a lot of fun.”