Lando Norris explains F1 Miami qualifying pace dip: ‘The others did a really bad job’

Lando Norris believes his pace drop in Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix qualifying was down to McLaren's rivals doing “a really bad job” on Friday compared to the Woking-based outfit.

The reigning world champion grabbed pole in sprint qualifying on Friday and turned that into a dominant victory in Saturday morning’s sprint.

But that pace didn’t materialise for McLaren in qualifying for the main race on Saturday afternoon, with Lando Norris fourth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and polesitter Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes.

Oscar Piastri, Norris' team-mate, could only muster enough for seventh. 

Norris says he was “struggling a little bit more” with his car in qualifying, but believes McLaren’s rivals simply “did the job they should” compared to where they were on Friday.

“I think we still did a good job,” he told the media, including Crash.net, on Saturday after qualifying.

“I just think the others did a really bad job yesterday and just did the job they should have done today, honestly.

“So, not many complaints. It was certainly a bit trickier with the car today, with the wind and the temperatures.

“Maybe the car wasn’t working quite as well, and I was struggling a little bit more for whatever reason.

“But not because we changed anything. It’s just the conditions were a bit different, and the others did the job they should do.

“I think we are where we deserve to be, honestly.”

“I was screwed from the off”

Norris battled a boost issue in Q2, while revealing he had another deployment problem at the start of his final flying lap in Q3.

“We certainly had more issues with deployment and things like this,” he added.

“I started my final lap with just less deployment for some reason: it just didn’t go with a full pack.

“I was screwed from the off. So, it was definitely not as clean a run for ourselves, and we need to understand why.

“I think the temperature is still a bit hotter at this point of the day, and the wind’s a little bit different.

“At the same time, the tarmac has been rubbered in a lot more from all the categories, and certain lines I could do yesterday I could do today to the same extent. Little things.

“It’s not like we’re miles off; I think it’s just over two tenths, three tenths.

“So, it’s not night and day. I think it’s more the others improved and we struggled a bit more. But otherwise, we need to check the data.”

Asked by Crash if his qualifying performance was a reality check, he replied: “I don’t think people gave us enough credit for the job we did yesterday compared to the others.

“We were clearly quicker, and that’s why I was very happy with yesterday’s performance and this morning’s performance, that we maximised everything.

“I said yesterday already it was pretty close with the Mercedes.

“The Mercedes, around all the corners, was pretty much as quick or quicker than us.

“They just had some issues, and clearly, Max in the Red Bull was strong as well.

“I’m not surprised. I think as a team we are surprised we struggled as much as we did today, but I don’t think in terms of order and pace from the Mercedes, it was a surprise at all.”