Lando Norris Misses Out on Pole, Qualifies Sixth for Bahrain GP

In a close battle between the two McLaren Formula 1 drivers, Lando Norris qualified sixth for the Bahrain Grand Prix while teammate Oscar Piastri clinched pole position. The gap between their grid positions might not have been significant, but the time difference was a frustrating 0.426 seconds for Norris.

GPS Analysis Reveals Turn 1 Mistake Costs Norris Front Row Chance

Piastri’s second Q3 lap was 0.392 seconds faster than his first, while Norris’s response was less than perfect. Analysis of Norris’s lap shows that he went too deep into Turn 1, causing an immediate snap into oversteer and potentially costing him 0.18 seconds in the first two corners. Even with this time loss, his lap would have been good enough for the front row had it not been for further losses around the track.

It is believed that Norris sustained additional losses due to pushing too hard to make up time and possibly overheating his rear tires as a result of the Turn 1 slide.

Norris Blames Personal Performance, Remains Baffled by Struggles

After qualifying, Norris admitted his struggles throughout the weekend. “I just don’t know how to approach it,” he said. “I can’t figure it out – every time I try something, it’s good for one session and then it’s the wrong thing for the next session because the wind’s changed, and I just can’t flow with the car. And when I can’t flow, I’m just not very quick.

Despite leading Friday’s FP1 session and finishing second in FP2, Norris suggested that other cars might be masking their potential by running heavier fuel loads or less aggressive engine modes. However, Piastri’s consistent performance suggests there may be more to McLaren‘s advantage than the team is letting on.

Piastri Seems to Have Found the Secret Recipe for Success

It appears as if Piastri has found a secret recipe that Norris is yet to master. The Australian was smoother where it mattered, and more adept at carrying momentum, particularly at tracks like Bahrain where it’s easy to overwork the front end.

Norris Vows to Work on Himself Ahead of Race Day

I’ve got to work on myself,” added Norris. “I can’t fault the team and the car is the best by a long way. But clearly I’m just not clicking at the minute.” With race day approaching, Norris will need to find his form quickly if he hopes to challenge Piastri and fight for victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix.