P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren driver Lando Norris rued a mistake on his last run costing him what he believes could have been second
McLaren showed strong performance by getting both cars into Q3 at the season opener, a first under the new regulations. Despite ending up seventh, Lando Norris was less than half a second behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen. Norris acknowledged the team’s strong performance but lamented not putting together an optimal lap. He felt confident in the team’s potential and was disappointed in not maximizing it in qualifying. Norris believed McLaren could have secured a front-row spot with a seamless run and noted that cooler conditions in Bahrain benefitted the team. He expressed uncertainty about McLaren’s race pace but emphasized the importance of strategy in a closely contested field.
