Norris admits Sao Paulo Sprint pole ‘tricker than Mexico’

F1 championship leader Lando Norris continued his strong run of form on Friday at Interlagos, claiming pole position for the São Paulo Grand Prix Sprint.

However, the McLaren driver admitted the session didn’t feel as smooth as it looked from the outside.

Despite topping both of his SQ3 laps and once again outpacing the field, Norris confessed he wasn’t entirely at ease behind the wheel of his MCL39.

“It was a little bit tougher than I would have liked. Close between a lot of cars,” Norris said after the session. “The Mercedes was quick on the soft but always tricky when you’ve got the medium and the soft, and knowing how much more to push or not to push sometimes.

“We did the job we needed to do, which was to be fastest today. Trickier than Mexico. I’ve not been feeling quite as comfortable therefore it’s a great result.”

After snatching the championship lead with victory in Mexico City, the Briton once again showed composure under pressure on Friday – even as the changing surface and bumps of Interlagos made the track far more unpredictable than the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

With McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri starting third, Norris is perfectly placed to strengthen his grip on the standings in Saturday’s Sprint.

‘It always puts a smile on your face’

While parts of the Interlagos circuit have been resurfaced, Norris said the iconic venue remains as demanding – and as exhilarating – as ever.

“Quali is always one of the best things here,” he said. “You can also race and have great racing. Quali around here is difficult, bumpy. It’s tricky. You’ve got the hills, undulation.

“It always puts a smile on your face, especially when you end up on pole. A good day today, but it’s still a long weekend. It’s only Friday. Another quali, another couple of races to go, so a good start.”

The Briton’s measured tone reflected the reality that pole on Friday is only the first step in a busy weekend – with Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying still to come.

Eyes on the Sky for Saturday

If Friday was dry and straightforward, Saturday could be anything but. Heavy rain and gusting winds are forecast as a cyclone develops in southern Brazil, threatening to turn Sprint day into a wet and wild affair.

• São Paulo Grand Prix - Sprint Qualifying results

“We’ll wait and see what tomorrow is going to do,” Norris explained. “It’s meant to rain a lot in the morning. It’s meant to be incredibly windy. No point worrying about anything for now.

“Happy today. It was difficult. It was a good job. I put things together. Now the focus will switch for tomorrow.”

For now, though, the championship leader can enjoy another near-flawless qualifying – even if, by his own admission, it didn’t feel quite as easy as it looked.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook