Lando Norris concedes pole position to Oscar Piastri in Qatar
Lando Norris has provided a detailed account of the error that cost him pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix, acknowledging that an understeer at Turn 2 forced him to abandon what could have been his critical qualifying lap — an opportunity that team-mate Oscar Piastri seized, reports BritPanorama.
Norris recorded a narrow advantage after his initial run in Q3, finishing just 0.035 seconds ahead of Piastri. However, during his final attempt, he misjudged the track and ran wide, which led to the premature conclusion of his lap.
Capitalising on Norris’s misstep, Piastri executed a composed final effort to claim pole by 0.108 seconds, positioning Norris on the less advantageous side of the grid ahead of Sunday’s crucial race.
The championship implications are significant; Norris leads the standings and could be crowned world champion if he outperforms Piastri by four points and Max Verstappen by one — winning the Grand Prix outright ensures his title. Given that overtaking proved challenging during the Sprint and a mandatory 25-lap tyre stint rule has been imposed due to structural concerns regarding the Losail kerbs, grid position could be more critical than usual.
Examining his mistake, Norris candidly expressed, “I just got a bit of understeer and was going to go off, so I had to abort, which is a shame, but it is the way it is. Oscar did a good lap, and drove very well and has been driving well all weekend, so yeah, there is nothing to complain about. I just didn’t do the lap.”
He acknowledged that the early laps of the race may offer limited chances for recovery, stating, “In the first couple of laps, there are always opportunities for everyone, but after that, I think it is probably going to be pretty straightforward for everyone too.” Despite the disappointment of losing pole, Norris remains optimistic about McLaren’s performance.
He remarked, “We’ll review some things and see what I can do better [than in the Sprint], but otherwise, we are in a good position. The car has been feeling good. I was much happier today than yesterday, but there is progress, but it is a long race.”
The rivalry between Norris and Piastri has emerged as a focal point of the season, particularly as Piastri’s earlier Sprint race victory solidified his momentum at Losail, a circuit he has shown proficiency on. Norris, while still the more consistent performer over the course of the season, will need to navigate the challenge posed by Verstappen, who starts third.
As the narrative of the championship unfolds — amid one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory, the psychological dynamics between the drivers will play a pivotal role in tomorrow’s race.
