Lando Norris secured pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix in Formula 1, but McLaren ended Saturday in Zandvoort with doubts about their race pace. The Briton won the battle for first place after the team made significant changes to the car between the Sprint race and the qualifying session for the GP.
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Norris finished the Sprint in third and reported difficulties, mainly with rear grip and performance in low-speed corners. According to him, McLaren managed to work on these points before the qualifying session, allowing a decisive reaction to achieve pole.
“I’m very happy to be on pole for the second consecutive time. Today, the main difference was the driving. My final lap was one where I gave it my all,” said Norris, who acknowledged taking more risks in the decisive attempt. For the race, however, the Briton adopted a more cautious stance: “I’m not as confident as I was in Budapest. We know our rivals are very strong and I expect a much bigger challenge tomorrow,” he said.
Oscar Piastri finished the Sprint in fifth and the qualifying session in fourth, a result that kept him close to the fight for the top positions. The Australian highlighted that the car showed positive signs but admitted that the pace dropped during the second half of the Sprint: “We know overtaking is not easy here, so the start will be crucial tomorrow,” he added.
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Andrea Stella explained that McLaren made changes to increase grip in slow corners and reduce the demand on the rear axle, also aiming to control tire degradation. For the team principal, the first objective was achieved in the qualifying session, but the definitive answer will come on Sunday, when the longer race distance will highlight tire wear.
“We need to be prepared and maximize the car setup to extract all the potential and ensure we are competitive in our race pace throughout the entire distance,” concluded Stella, who also expects strong opposition from Mercedes and Ferrari, while Norris will have the advantage of starting from first position and trying to take advantage of the clean air.
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