Norris "nervous" over adding to Hamilton Verstappen title controversy

Lando Norris has conceded he is "nervous" about becoming involved in potential controversy in the F1 title battle after qualifying a surprise third for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver joined the second row of the grid with the final lap in qualifying to sit behind the championship protagonists Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Pointed out to him he had the best seat in the house to watch the fight in front of him, Norris revealed: "I am a bit nervous because I kind of just want to stay where I am and just watch everything unfold over the first few laps or even the whole race.

"But I don't want to get involved too much because it would cause a lot of controversy.

"I don't know, I could go for the move, not go for the move, you tell me. I will do my best but if I have a chance, I will go for it."

Norris ended qualifying half a second faster than team-mate Daniel Ricciardo and asked where he had found the time, he replied: "I don't know really.

"It came already in Q3 run one, I had made some improvements but also a few mistakes and I just did a clean lap in the end."

Norris then joked: "I went for pole, it just didn't work out in the end, we were a little bit off! No, it was a nice lap and to be P3 was a bit of a surprise."

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