Norris ‘not too disappointed’ by Sprint Qualifying gap to Piastri

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Lando Norris shrugged off his performance in Friday’s Sprint Qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix, despite being outpaced by teammate Oscar Piastri by more than six tenths of a second in the session.

The McLaren pair sandwiched Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in SQ3, but it was Piastri who stole the spotlight with a commanding 1m40.510s lap around Spa-Francorchamps that left both his rivals well adrift.

Speaking after the session, Norris admitted to an untidy final flyer in the SQ3 but appeared unfazed by the 0.618s gap to Piastri.

“Not quick enough, I guess, is the only thing,” he conceded. “It wasn’t the cleanest of laps, but still quite a big gap to the top.”

Despite the significant difference, Norris made clear he won’t be losing sleep over it: “Not too disappointed, third for the Sprint, so not a big story, but some things to work on.”

The Briton and his teammate have rivaled each other in qualifying this season, but Piastri appeared particularly dialed in at Spa, topping both FP1 and Sprint Qualifying with sizable margins.

Tyre Prep and Looking Ahead

When asked whether being told to speed up his preparation lap compromised his tyre performance during the final sprint shootout, Norris admitted it was tough to gauge.

“It was just impossible to say,” he said. “Maybe it made my tyres better. You don’t know those things, but we’ll look at it overnight.”

Read also: Norris still searching for 2024 form despite winning momentum

Norris added that Friday’s result doesn’t define the weekend, choosing instead to focus on the opportunities ahead with the Sprint and Grand Prix still to come.

“It’s a weekend with lots of elements to it, potentially. It’s just Friday, so I’m not too fussed,” he said.

“Not the happiest, of course. I’d like to be a bit quicker than I was today, but it’s the way it is. I just have to do some more work tonight.”

With plenty of action still ahead at Spa, Norris remains well in contention – but will be eager to close the gap to his blindingly fast teammate when the lights go out on Saturday.

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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.