Monaco pole ‘a big thing’ for Norris but there’s jeopardy

Lando Norris, who has struggled with form since the start of this season, described his pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix as “a step in the right direction” and “quite a big thing.”

After four victories over Norris, the McLaren driver trails team-mate Oscar Piastri by 13 points in the championship.

Piastri has won three poles, Norris’ first since the start of the season’s Australian Grand Prix, while Piastri has just three.

You also need consistency of results, according to Norris.

I have two ways to look at it. It makes sense that I had a good Saturday, which is a breakthrough. It’s at least a step in the right direction for me, and I’m very, very happy about it.

“But it’s only a weekend,” he said. I’m confident in every session that I can perform like I did today because I believe my performance was at a very, very high level, and that’s a big part of it.

My goal is to compete at this level if I can enter Barcelona, Canada, and the following races.

However, today is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, regardless of whether it is a small or large step, and that is all I need right now.

In a thrilling session in Monaco, Norris defeated Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by a 0.109 second advantage.

McLaren chose to do two laps, staying off the track while cooling their tires between, and Leclerc did one. Before the Briton grabbed the pole back, Norris grabbed it, Leclerc grabbed it from him, and the pair exchanged it.

After explaining that he has been having trouble believing the McLaren car enough to carry it consistently to the limit in qualifying, Norris has been working diligently to improve his qualifying performance this year.

When asked to explain his step forward, he responded, “Things from the car, just it being Monaco with a very different layout, a very different kind of driving that’s needed here.” In some ways, it’s much more risk-taking than just absolute car balance.

“As well as things that I’ve been working on to improve and perform better.”

“Never because I’ve not had the pace; just more because I’ve never put it together in Q3. I probably put it all together for the first time since Australia today.

“I’m driving in a better, smarter way, not because I’m driving more quickly,” he said.

However, a lot of work has already been done. Even if I had been pole in any other track, I believe it to be the pole that has had the biggest impact on me.

“It probably means even more than Monaco, but more because of what has transpired recently. Although it may not seem like much, I think it’s a lot. So, yes, that’s a very, very good moment, as I once said.

He claimed that he always believed he would solve the issue.

Norris said, “I don’t think I’ve ever doubted what I can do.” I’ve gotten frustrated, he said. I’ve been unhappy, which is normal when you’re not happy, especially when you should be, because you can’t win and don’t win. The goal is exactly that.

Andrea Stella, the head of the McLaren team, described Norris’ performance as “an important step in the process” that will somehow reassure Lando, saying that he had done a “fabulous job” by applying the work the team had done with him in recent weeks.

However, he continued, “I kind of have a sense that there is quite a lot to be extracted, so I take this very positively. I’m excited and looking forward to the steps that we will be able to take in the future.”

Because overtaking is so challenging, Norris could have a good chance of turning his pole into a win on a typical Monaco weekend.

However, new regulations this year require a minimum of two pit stops in an effort to raise the degree of uncertainty.

Stella argued that McLaren’s chances of winning were “tough” and a “material threat” due to the teams’ current circumstances.

We might see cars helping other members of the same team as a function of red flags, safety cars, and team work, Stella said.