Lando Norris feels reassured after securing pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix, stating that his “old self” has returned during qualifying.
Following a series of disappointing qualifying sessions, Norris dominated at the Red Bull Ring, a notoriously short track, beating Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri by over half a second – the largest margin of the season so far.
An elated Norris exclaimed over the radio after achieving his third pole of the season, “Nice to see the old me back every now and then, huh!”
Norris retired from the previous race in Canada after colliding with Piastri. However, this pole position offers a perfect chance to reduce his 22-point deficit in the Drivers` Championship.
“The feeling I had today was the feeling I have missed for quite a long time,” Norris commented. “The feeling behind the wheel, with the car, the understanding of where the grip is and how to exploit it.”
“That translated into performance and lap time, which is a very good combination to have. When you feel like, `yeah, I can go quicker here and I can do that,` and then you go out and do it, that`s the best feeling a driver can ask for.”
McLaren`s revised floor, introduced in Austria, seems to be benefiting Norris, who had previously expressed less enjoyment with this year`s car compared to the last.
He added, “The team has been working very hard. I`ve been working a lot in the simulator, with my team, engineers, and many others to understand these things, and we believe we are heading in the right direction.”
“So, coming to this weekend and at least moving in the right direction is very positive and reassuring for myself primarily, but likely for the team as well. Thanks to them.”
Stella `Proud` of Norris`s Performance
Before Austria, Norris`s pace jump from Q2 to Q3 was the weakest among top drivers, averaging only 0.249s compared to over four tenths for Piastri, Max Verstappen, and George Russell, and nearly three tenths for Charles Leclerc.
Norris admitted to overdriving in qualifying at previous races like Bahrain, Spain, and Canada, but he executed perfectly on Saturday in Austria, earning praise from team principal Andrea Stella, who was “really proud.”
Stella stated, “Even in Canada, after reviewing the weekend with Lando and his engineers, we always said the speed was there.”
“When he had the slight contact with the wall in qualifying, he was on track for a pole position. And in the race, he was one of the fastest cars, if not the fastest. The speed was always present. We just needed to refine the execution. We made small adjustments here and there.”
“Not only did he secure pole position, but it was a dominant one, a truly remarkable lap time. It`s a bit of a shame we couldn`t see Oscar challenging for pole because of the yellow flag that denied him a final attempt.”
Canada marked the first time in 2025 that McLaren did not have a car on the front row or a driver on the podium.
Stella commended the team`s recovery after their most challenging weekend, which included the incident between Norris and Piastri.
“A strong point at McLaren is our cultural and attitudinal preparedness to use every opportunity to become stronger and more united,” he remarked.
“This reflected the tone and content of our discussions. I believe this has been achieved, as you can see from what our drivers said.”
“Let me also commend the work of everyone at McLaren on the upgrades. This has made the car faster. We are very encouraged by the data we`ve seen. There are many positives to take away, and we need to capitalize on them in the race.”
Piastri: `I`m Not Planning on Finishing Third`
Piastri would likely have joined Norris on the front row had he completed his final Q3 lap. Both he and Max Verstappen had to abandon their attempts due to Pierre Gasly`s spin causing yellow flags.
If Piastri can get ahead of Leclerc early, he intends to challenge Norris for the win on a circuit known for overtaking opportunities.
“I think our pace this weekend has looked very strong,” he commented. “I think Ferrari`s pace looked good too, which was a bit of a surprise, but I think we still have some opportunities.”
“I`m definitely not planning on finishing third.”
McLaren`s race pace in practice has been matched only by Verstappen this weekend, but with the Red Bull driver starting seventh, he is unlikely to be an immediate threat.
Norris stated, “I`m starting in the best position. We`ve been good since my first laps in FP2. We`ve been competitive, and I`ve felt confident and comfortable in the car.”
“We introduced some upgrades this weekend, which is our first proper set for the season.”
“We waited a significant amount of time to apply them, and based on what I saw today, it appears they have definitely moved us in the right direction – especially on a track with only eight corners.”
“I`m confident we can still have a good race, but it`s a long one, and plenty can happen.”
