Norris executed 'perfect turnaround' to deliver top-10 start

©McLaren

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McLaren's Lando Norris labeled his P8 performance in qualifying in Montreal as the "perfect turnaround" after struggles on Friday had left him down the order.

Norris is a first-time visitor to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend and getting to grips with the track's specifics has taken the 19-year-old a bit of time.

The McLaren charger improved his pace in FP3 and confirmed his step forward in qualifying, even outpacing his experienced team mate Carlos Sainz by in Q3.

Yet, the young Brit believes he left a bit of performance on the table during Saturday's final shootout.

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"It was a perfect turnaround compared to yesterday and a good quali result in the end," Norris said.

"Today was an improvement but it could’ve been even better - I didn’t do a great lap at the end of Q3. But P8 is a nice result and it gives me a good starting position for tomorrow.

"It’s a fun but tricky track and I gained in confidence with every lap. I was a long way off Carlos yesterday so I’m much happier today.

"I needed to turn things around and I was back on the pace in FP3. The Renaults were fast in quali so I couldn’t do a lot more."

©McLaren

Sainz, who qualified ninth, will unfortunately launch his race from a lower spot as a result of being handed a three-place grid penalty for blocking Toro Rosso's Alex Albin in Q1.

However, given the pace displayed by McLaren's MCL34 on its long runs and Montreal's overtaking opportunities, team boss Andreas Seidl isn't too concerned by the Spaniard's demotion.

"It’s fair to say that we were on a knife edge regarding progressing into Q3 with both cars at the end of Q2, but the red flag definitely didn’t harm us," said the German.

"Unfortunately, Carlos was subsequently given a three-place penalty.

"However, I believe with our starting positions, combined with the encouraging long runs we made on Friday, we’re looking good to fight for some solid points tomorrow.

"We now switch our focus to preparing for the race which looks likely to be very exciting."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.