Lando Norris delivered a masterful performance today, clinching pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix with a lap he hailed as “as close to perfection as I would probably ask for.”
The McLaren driver dominated qualifying, finishing over half a second clear of the field, a significant margin that underscores his return to form after a season marred by qualifying errors.
Norris expressed immense satisfaction, stating, “It’s nice to see the old me back every now and then,” attributing his success to a renewed understanding of his car.
This stunning lap marks the largest pole margin in percentage terms seen all season, highlighting the effectiveness of McLaren’s recent upgrades.
Starting alongside Norris on the front row will be Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with McLaren teammate and championship leader Oscar Piastri in third.
Norris, currently 22 points behind Piastri after crashing out in Canada, desperately needs a strong result on Sunday to narrow the championship gap.
Conversely, championship contender Max Verstappen had a challenging day, qualifying a surprising seventh.
The Red Bull driver reported significant balance issues with his car, stating, “In qualifying basically everything felt bad.”
Despite Verstappen’s uncharacteristic struggles, Norris and Piastri remain cautious, refusing to rule him out for the race.
