P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lando Norris played down McLaren’s 1-2 showing in the Friday practices at Imola, stressing there’s still work to do ahead of a crucial qualifying.
Lando Norris downplayed McLaren’s strong showing in Friday practices at Imola, emphasizing the need for more work before a crucial qualifying session. Norris expects McLaren’s rivals to close the gap as performance increases on Saturday. In FP1, Oscar Piastri edged out Norris by a mere 0.032s, setting the pace. Despite a narrowing gap in FP2, Piastri maintained a 0.276s advantage over third-placed Pierre Gasly. Both drivers expressed caution, with Norris noting that McLaren’s true competitiveness will become clearer after qualifying. Piastri acknowledged the strong Friday but highlighted the ongoing search for improvements before qualifying. The Imola circuit has historically been favorable for McLaren, with three consecutive podium finishes since 2021.
