Norris ‘pleasantly surprised’ by electrifying pole lap in Mexico

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McLaren’s Lando Norris was beaming with a mix of surprise and confidence after claiming on Saturday at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez a pivotal pole position for Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

The Briton’s performance left his Ferrari rivals Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton trailing, but Norris himself admitted he was pleasantly taken aback by his own pace.

With Red Bull’s Max Verstappen starting fifth and championship leader and teammate Oscar Piastri launching his race from a distant seventh, Norris has a golden opportunity to shine on Sunday.

After the session, Norris reflected on what many believed was a lap for the ages in Q3.

"I'm happy to be back on pole. It's actually been quite a long time, so it's a good feeling," he said.

"The lap was one of those where you don't really know what happened. It felt decent but when I saw the time I was very pleasantly surprised."

Norris noted that confidence had been building across the weekend.

"I've been feeling good all weekend, especially today. I got a little bit nervous of the Ferrari at the end, but I pulled it out when it mattered and I'm very happy."

With a wry smile, he even joked about his lack of rest.

"I've not been sleeping well lately, so maybe that's the key to it all?"

Eyes on the Prize

Despite his apparent fatigue, Norris is focused on translating pole into victory on Sunday.

"I've had some good races here in the past and will focus on what I can control. That's all I can do," he said.

Mexico City Grand Prix - Qualifying results

The McLaren charger acknowledged the challenge ahead, particularly the long run to Turn 1 and the threat from Ferrari.

"I'm here to win,” he said. “I'll be looking forward. I know I'm going to have some quick guys behind me. It's a long run down to Turn 1 and so forth. The race pace from the Ferraris is normally very strong.

"I'm expecting a battle, I'm not expecting it to be easy. Eyes forward and I'll see how much I can win by."

Behind Norris and Ferrari’s duo Leclerc and Hamilton, Mercedes’ George Russell lines up fourth, just ahead of Verstappen, setting the stage for an intense round of racing in Mexico City.

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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.