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Norris expects ‘difficult’ challenge facing McLaren
Lando Norris believes that it will be a challenging task to compete against Red Bull, especially after Max Verstappen’s impressive performance in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen’s pole position was over half a second faster than Oscar Piastri and 0.616 seconds faster than Norris himself. Despite this, Norris and Piastri are determined to secure McLaren’s first podium finish at Suzuka since Jenson Button’s win in 2011. Norris struggled to put together a better lap on the twisty Suzuka circuit, finishing just 0.035 seconds behind Piastri. Despite the difficulty of the circuit, Norris is satisfied with the team’s performance and is aware that even the smallest mistake can have a significant impact on lap time. McLaren has been showing impressive form and podium contention following their car improvements earlier in the season. While Norris acknowledges Verstappen’s dominance, he and Piastri aim to make it harder for Red Bull to secure the Constructors’ Championship, especially with Sergio Perez starting from 5th on the grid. Norris expresses his hope for a positive result and continues the tradition of outstanding McLaren performances in Japan, but acknowledges the tough competition and commits to giving their best effort in the race.
Source: RacingNews 365
