Norris achieved the fastest times in Q2 using medium tires, while F1 introduced a new trial of “alternative tire allocation” that determined which compounds teams had to use in each qualifying segment. However, Norris fell slightly behind in Q3 after switching to the soft rubber.
The Briton was denied a second career F1 pole as he clocked a 1m16.694s that was just 0.085s slower than pacesetter Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, who pipped Max Verstappen’s Red Bull by 0.003s to end a pole drought dating back to Jeddah 2021.
After the session, Norris admitted that he was slightly taken aback by his strong performance in Hungary, but then acknowledged his feelings of frustration.
“I suppose I’m let down,” he expressed. “If you’re only a fraction away from securing the top position, it seems like you deserve it when you successfully complete the lap.”
During a successful day for McLaren, after their strong performance at the previous British Grand Prix where Norris and Oscar Piastri secured second and third positions, the papaya team achieved a complete takeover of the second row as Piastri positioned himself in fourth place.
However, Norris acknowledged that he had made an excessive number of errors, which prevented him from being completely content with his performance.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60
Photo by: Michael Potts / Motorsport Images
He stated: “In terms of the big picture, I am pleased with how well the team performed, securing P3 and P4 for both of us. Overall, it has been a successful weekend thus far.”
As a driver, I am not very pleased. I believe I have made numerous errors, and it has had a negative impact on my performance today.
He clarified that his last lap in Q3 was not executed flawlessly, as he attempted to assess the trade-off between taking risks and gaining rewards. He admitted that there was certainly an additional tenth of a second that could have been achieved.
Norris stated that there is always a level of uncertainty when attempting to go beyond the current limits.
Tomorrow, P3 remains a favorable position, making it a promising day.
Norris is of the opinion that McLaren’s performance during Friday’s race was quite impressive, comparable to our performance in Silverstone. He expresses enthusiasm for the team’s potential in the upcoming race.
However, he warned that the lack of chances to overtake at the Hungaroring circuit could pose challenges during the race, which is likely the reason for his increased frustration compared to usual.
He continued, “I am among the reputable individuals, and we have a total of two cars in that location.”
“Hopefully, we can utilize them to our advantage and earn valuable points tomorrow.”
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