Lando Norris is beaming with pride after McLaren’s impressive showing at the Singapore Grand Prix, where he secured a spot on the second row of the grid, set to start from fourth position. The British driver was piloting a significantly upgraded MCL60, and his performance throughout the weekend indicated that McLaren was on the right track to address the car’s low-speed weaknesses.
A Contender for Pole
Although Norris narrowly missed out on pole position, trailing behind Carlos Sainz, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc by a mere 0.286 seconds, his pace was commendable. Norris mentioned, “That was a very good result for us today. I know two-tenths doesn’t sound like a lot but I did my best laps by quite a long way in Q3.”
He emphasized the challenging nature of the Singapore track and the constant push to find more time. His fourth-place qualification is his best since securing third place in Hungary earlier in the season.
Successful Upgrades
McLaren’s upgrades were strategically aimed at addressing the MCL60’s weaknesses in low-speed sections of the circuit. Norris expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “It was tough, it was close. It’s not an easy track, ever, to push to the limits and try and find more time but we did that every time.”
He further elaborated, “To be P4, I know maybe some people expected more but I’m very happy with it. I think we were probably closer to the top than we thought.”
Points Haul in Sight
As Norris reflects on his strong qualifying performance, his focus now shifts to converting this achievement into valuable championship points. While a podium finish might be a challenging prospect given the difficulty of overtaking on the Marina Bay Circuit, Norris is determined to secure a substantial points haul.
He acknowledges the stiff competition from Ferrari, Mercedes, and George Russell but remains confident in McLaren’s pace and ability to maintain their position. Norris concluded, “But we have pace clearly to fight against them and stay where we are at least, so that’s going to be the plan.” As the lights go out in Singapore, the battle for points promises to be intense, with Lando Norris and McLaren ready to make their mark.
