Lando Norris has commended F1 rival Lewis Hamilton after their run-in at the start of the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race. Norris started on pole, with Hamilton joining him on the front row.
In a wet SQ3 session on Friday, McLaren driver Norris out-paced the field by more than a second to secure top spot. 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill was among those to praise his performance.
But Hamilton produced a ‘magical’ lap of his own, in the words of former teammate Nico Rosberg, to take second. That set the stage for the two Britons to battle to turn into turn one.
Hamilton got the better start of the two drivers and nudged ahead before the first corner, with Norris trying to regain the place around the outside. His more experienced competitor ran him wide, and he ended up sliding off the circuit.
That saw him drop down to seventh, and he wasn’t able to gain any ground before the end. Hamilton, meanwhile, finished as the runner-up after reigning world champion Max Verstappen charged through.
Rosberg was critical of Norris after the race, saying he makes too many mistakes. Likewise, BBC pundit Sam Bird feels he’ll be ‘kicking himself’ after a ‘dreadful’ first corner.
What Lando Norris said about Lewis Hamilton battle in China
Speaking to Rosberg on Sky Sports F1, Norris reflected on his early tussle with the seven-time world champion. He insisted he wasn’t angered by Hamilton’s driving, because he had every right to do what he did.
The 24-year-old admitted that he may have been over ‘optimistic’, particularly given the conditions out on track. As such, he’s taken full responsibility for his error.
“He can do what he wants,” he said. “He was ahead through the whole corner. I did my best. I guess I was optimistic in trying to do what I wanted to do.
“But it’s just with this tarmac, as soon as you go a little bit wide, there’s just absolutely zero grip. And the wind as well makes a big difference.
“Lewis – good job by him. He pushed me off, in a good way. And it was just all on me. He had the right to do it.”
Has Lando Norris won a sprint race?
This was the second time Norris has started on pole for a sprint race. And just like in Brazil at the end of last year, he lost out at the start.
It was Verstappen who got past him on that occasion, and Hamilton here. But while he managed to finish second in Interlagos, he only got two points on the board in Shanghai.
That’s three pole positions Norris has failed to convert in his career – one in a Grand Prix (Russia 2021) and two in the sprint. He holds the record for the most podiums without a race win (14), and some might suggest that it’s becoming a burden.
Rosberg suggested that he might be in contention for that elusive victory this weekend, but after passing up his chance his sprint, the wait will likely go on. While Norris may have surpassed McLaren’s low expectations by qualifying fourth, Red Bull appear to be in a league of their own in normal conditions.
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