Chinese GP: Lando Norris admits mistakes but says McLaren car was ‘too difficult to drive’ in Shanghai | F1 News

Lando Norris has blamed himself for “making too many mistakes” after only qualifying in sixth for Saturday’s Chinese Grand Prix Sprint.

Norris was fastest by nearly half a second in the only practice session and looked good heading into the last part of Sprint Qualifying after topping SQ2.

The McLaren driver was four tenths off team-mate Oscar Piastri after his first SQ3 lap, then locked up at the hairpin with his final effort as Lewis Hamilton, who took pole, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and George Russell all jumped ahead of him.

“I made a mistake. I locked up in the last corner. We just struggled a bit more now, just not quick enough, simply,” said Norris, who won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last Sunday.

“I struggled a lot with the car. Just our difficulties that we’ve been struggling with showed a lot more today. So, nothing more than that, honestly. Just too many mistakes but just too difficult of a car to drive.”

Norris took the joint-most pole positions in 2024 but small mistakes from himself or the team often cost them race wins. It is an area McLaren have been looking to iron out, particularly as Verstappen is almost always there to capitalise.

The disappointing performance was “more on me rather than the car” according to Norris after “trying to push too much”.

“I think just throughout the day we’ve been struggling a bit with the front-locking and in the last corner with the tail-wind,” he added.

“Kind of a lot more aligned with Bahrain, just a lot windier. When the wind’s blowing then we struggle a lot more. I think both myself and Oscar struggled more, clearly me more than him. Just pushing a bit hard to try to make up for not quite being quick enough.”

Piastri confident McLaren can still fight at the front

McLaren have been strong on heavy fuel throughout pre-season testing and last weekend in Melbourne, with Mercedes and Red Bull stating they are a step ahead in terms of tyre wear.

The Sprint in Shanghai, which takes place at 3am on Saturday live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event, will be 19 laps long and the long corners will mean tyre degradation is an issue.

Piastri, who will start from third, thinks McLaren got their Sprint Qualifying run plan wrong and should be on form in the shortened 100km race.

“We were quick at the wrong points. SQ1 and SQ2 felt good but SQ3, we tried something a bit different and went out much earlier, tried two laps, which I’m not sure was the best thing in the end. It’s something we need to look at,” he said.

“But the pace of the car is still very strong and I’m confident we can fight at the front.”

Verstappen: It will be hard to keep McLarens behind

Reigning world champion Verstappen’s second place was equally as surprising as Hamilton’s Sprint pole.

Just 0.018s separated the duo, who will share the front row of the grid for the first time since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.

“The balance was not massively off. We were just too slow,” said Verstappen.

“But this is good for us, a little motivation boost for everyone that we keep nailing the laps and maximising everything you have got and you need to do that as well when you are struggling a bit more for pace.”

On the expected McLaren charge, he added: “They looked very fast up until that last run, so it will be hard to keep them behind. Hopefully it will be fun and we can race a bit, that would be nice for me.”

Verstappen’s team-mate Liam Lawson had another disappointing qualifying as a mistake in the middle sector left him in last position and out in SQ1.

“I went off on my second lap. Obviously a shame. From a starting point it wasn’t too bad. The first lap was alright and we were looking to build from there,” he said.

“We stayed out to try and cool the tyres and I really struggled to get the temperatures down. We started too hot and through the lap I struggled. It’s frustrating.”

Russell ‘surprised’ by McLaren performance

Mercedes were unable to join the fight for Sprint pole in Shanghai as Russell qualified fifth and Kimi Antonelli seventh.

Russell was three tenths off Hamilton but beat Norris and will certainly play a role in the Sprint.

“Pretty happy with the lap in SQ3. Well done to Lewis. That was a pretty great lap,” said Russell.

“I think P5 was where we were today. It was strange, in SQ2 at one moment I was outside the top 10, the next I jumped up to P2, and it didn’t feel any different, to be honest.

“I think it can just go any way between the top couple of teams. It was a bit of a surprise with McLaren because they were flying in practice, flying in SQ1 and SQ2 but then, at the end, Lewis and Max did a good job.

“We were right behind them as well. I think we’ve got a shot in the Sprint. It could be an interesting race.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Chinese GP schedule

Saturday March 22

• 2.25am: Chinese GP Sprint build-up*
• 3am: Chinese GP Sprint*
• 5.45am: F1 Academy Race 1*
• 6.35am: Chinese GP Qualifying build-up*
• 7am: CHINESE GP QUALIFYING*
• 9am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*

Sunday March 23

• 2.40am: F1 Academy Race 2
• 5.30am: Chinese GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
• 7am: THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX*
• 9am: Chinese GP reaction: Chequered flag*
• 10am: Ted’s Notebook*

*Also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 is in Shanghai this week for the first Sprint weekend of the season at the Chinese GP, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime