Lando Norris LOSES sprint lead as Max Verstappen asserts Red Bull dominance

Lando Norris is seething at the 2023 Australian Grand Prix — Photo: © LAT Images

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Norris LOSES sprint lead as Verstappen asserts Red Bull dominance

The Brit couldn't hold off his good friend and he even dropped to third by the end of lap 1

Joe Ellis

Saturday 4 November 2023 19:49

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Lando Norris could not convert pole position into the race lead in the Brazilian GP sprint as Max Verstappen took the lead.

The three-time champion got alongside going into turn one and took the line away from his good friend in the McLaren to lead.

George Russell then compounded Norris' woes with an opportunistic move in the second sector while Lewis Hamilton expertly passed Sergio Perez at turn four.

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Norris didn't take long to retake second from Russell in the Mercedes, leaving him just over a second away from Verstappen in the lead of the sprint.

Max Verstappen was in no mood to settle behind anyone in the sprint

Lando Norris could have taken a double pole had the rain not spoiled the end of qualifying on Friday

An aggressive opening lap from George Russell briefly had him up in second

Tough pole

Pole position isn't as much of an advantage as you might think at Interlagos with such a short run to the first braking zone at turn one.

Being on the racing line doesn't help as much as at other tracks because the other side of the grid is equally rubbered in after two qualifying sessions where drivers take the shortest run to the line.

As a result, Verstappen had enough grip to be just enough alongside and once he was on the inside, he could force Norris as wide as he liked, leaving the McLaren man helpless to hold on.

The only blessing for general F1 fans is that the same fate could happen to the Red Bull superstar in Sunday's Grand Prix as he starts from pole.