McLaren’s Lando Norris was delighted with his ‘perfect lap’ as he took pole position in qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Brit pipped rival Max Verstappen by 0.020 seconds in Barcelona and set up what should be another competitive race on Sunday.
Read our other sports news stories:
Tiger Woods: PGA Tour ‘exemption’ as Saudi PIF talks ‘progress’
Chimaev ‘won’t retire’
McGregor comeback off
It is Norris’ second pole and his first for three years and he admitted he was able to hook the car up perfectly around the track.
He said: “It was pretty much a perfect lap. You know when you’re on a good lap and you’re getting excited.
“Close still but super happy. I would say my best pole position. I’ve not had many but I’d say the best.
“We have been quick since Miami but missed out on pole by not doing a perfect lap and today we did a perfect lap.”
Verstappen has looked off the pace all week in the Red Bull but as usual, managed to find an extra gear in qualifying.
He got a tow down the start-finish straight from team-mate Sergio Perez but it was still not enough to earn him top spot.
Your grid for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix! 🇪🇸 #F1 #SPANISHGP PIC.TWITTER.COM/GDJ15NSHVH
— Formula 1 (@F1) JUNE 22, 2024
He added: “The whole weekend we have been trying to find a connected balance, I was quite happy in qualifying.
“In Q3 I got a nice little tow from Checo (Perez) in Turn One to extract everything we could but unfortunately it was just not enough. But all in all, we can be very happy with this.”
Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will slot in on the second row, with the former out-qualifying his team-mate for only the second time this season.
He admitted in Canada that he needed to start driving with his head a bit more and did just that on Saturday, finally finding his form and putting the Silver Arrows in with a chance of a race win on Sunday.
Hamilton said: “I’m really happy. It has been quite a difficult year.
“Huge amount of work from everyone back at the factory and finally we are seeing those incremental steps.
“I didn’t expect us to be fighting for pole but we’re getting close.”
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz make up the rest of the top six in what was a disappointing day for the Prancing Horses.
