McLaren lock out third row, but baffled by own pace
McLaren lock out third row, but baffled by own pace
Lando Norris admitted that McLaren were as surprised as anyone after a brilliant qualifying performance which saw them lock out the third row of the grid. Norris will start Sunday's race at Paul Ricard in fifth, with team-mate Carlos Sainz alongside him in sixth.
McLaren saw a promising Canadian GP fall apart as Norris' rear brakes melted his axle and Sainz had his strategy ruined when a tear-off visor from another driver got stuck in his brakes and caused them to overheat.
However, they have been quite clearly the fourth fastest team in Le Castellet, even pushing Red bull close in the practice sessions, before qualifying ahead of Pierre Gasly and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.
"We have come into here thinking some of the corners are a bit like China, where we were pretty average," Norris told Sky Sports. "We weren't expecting anything at all to be honest.
"We were thinking this was going to be a very tough one and it's turned out to be better than we ever would have expected."
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F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
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- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
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