Norris Delighted with Unexpected P3 in Canada Sprint Qualifying, Applauds McLaren's Upgrades

Lando Norris found himself pleasantly surprised with a P3 finish in the Sprint Qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix, a result that seemed unlikely just hours after Free Practice 1. McLaren had been struggling to keep pace with Mercedes, but a few tweaks turned the tables in their favor. Norris ended FP1 in P6, trailing 1.397 seconds behind Kimi Antonelli, with teammate Oscar Piastri in P7. However, the team managed to turn things around ahead of Sprint Qualifying.

During Sprint Qualifying, Mercedes' George Russell and Antonelli secured the front row, but Norris managed to clinch third, reducing the gap to Russell to just three tenths. "A very good result, actually — a good surprise," Norris commented, reflecting on how the team managed to close the gap and boost his confidence in the car. "We made some tweaks, changed some things, and seemed to make a good improvement."

Norris felt satisfied with the improvements, despite acknowledging that some upgrades still needed refinement. "It certainly felt decent," he remarked. "Some things were maybe a bit more questionable, and we probably need just more time to review things." The Canadian circuit's low grip and bumpy nature made it difficult to gauge the full potential of the updates, but Norris remained optimistic about future races. "A good step forward, and we’ll see what we can improve."

Oscar Piastri, who finished just behind Norris in fourth, shared his thoughts on the day. He noted that while McLaren had made progress, Mercedes still appeared formidable. "A bit of a messy day for everybody," he said, "but the Mercedes still looks very strong." Despite this, Piastri expressed confidence in McLaren's ability to compete, especially at the start. "Our starts have been better than the Ferraris’ all year," he noted, hinting at a potential edge over the Scuderia cars.

As the McLaren duo prepared to line up ahead of the Ferraris, Piastri remained optimistic about maintaining their advantage. "I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before Mercedes get theirs competitive as well, but until that time comes, we’ll try our best to take advantage of it."

Overall, the unexpected turn of events in Sprint Qualifying provided a boost for McLaren, setting a hopeful tone for the rest of the weekend.