Lando Norris reckons eight drivers have the potential to win Formula 1’s 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, after a close qualifying fight where he pipped Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to pole.
McLaren driver Norris took his second F1 career pole with a 1m11.383s at the end of Q3 at Barcelona, which put him 0.020s clear of Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton finished 0.318s back for Mercedes, with the rest of the top six covered by a further 0.035s.
Norris, having predicted after Friday practice that F1 was in for another multi-team victory scrap following on from Canada’s action-packed race last time out, believes Saturday’s qualifying scenes are indicative of a similar race playing out on Sunday in Spain, combined with a lack of long-run practice data accrued across the leading teams.
«I’m excited,» Norris said in the post-qualifying press conference. «It’s a long run down to Turn 1 so it’s one of the places you don’t want to start on pole. But it’s an opportunity for us to go out and try and win a race.
«We’ve not done loads of long running. We’ve done a bit and I think we were close – as it always has been.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
«So, I think tomorrow is not like ‘this car or this car is way quicker’, I think between Mercedes, ourselves, Red Bull, Ferrari there’s eight cars that probably could’ve been on pole today and have a chance of probably winning the race tomorrow.
«So, it’s about making the least mistakes. Similar to today – just about executing another good race.»
Speaking alongside Norris, Verstappen reckoned that predicted overnight rain – something that could yet impact the Barcelona race day based on long-range weather forecasts – could also be a factor in Sunday’s victory battle.
«For sure, I would like to win tomorrow – naturally,» he said. «I think it’s still a bit unknown where we are – like, all of us, in the long runs in terms of pure pace in the long runs.
«I’m hoping of course it’s going to be all very close – like it has been in the last few races.
«I think with the high deg around here as well, you need to really look after your tyres.
«I don’t know what state the track will be tomorrow with potential rain of course overnight and in the morning. So, all of these kinds of things of course come into play.»