The young McLaren protégé left 3rd on the grid of FIA F2 Race 1 , where he finished 17th . Leader of the championship, he won yet only one race this season.
His only victory was in the first race of the championship in Bahrain. Lando Norris is determined to fix it. Asked whether the first step of the podium is missing, Lando Norris answers in the affirmative.
» Of course! We have not been so strong since Bahrain, « he tells us at the Paul Ricard circuit.
» We were good on other races, but we had problems or I was not on the right set in qualifying but my race pace was good, as in Barcelona. In Baku, I made some mistakes. I think the performance we have this weekend, watching free practice, is good. The qualifications did not go as planned but I’m happy with this 3rd position. We are working to come back as hard as we were on the first race .
A better race pace than qualifying
English feels confident for this first race of the Var weekend. On the condition of a good start, considering the recurring problems of these cars on this procedure of departure, Lando Norris thinks to be able to play the victory. A victory that could be played on the strategy. But the rain, present since the beginning of the afternoon could put his grain of salt.
» Our race pace has always been better than our rhythm in qualifying. If the track is dry, it will depend on tire strategies, which can change a lot of things during the race .
» It will obviously start as best as possible, do not stall. Attempt to maximize my departure by trying to take the lead. If it does not work, I think being 3rd is a position to try to fight for victory during the race. The degradation of the tires is not very strong, but maybe it will play a role if some pushes too hard, or when they decide to push during the race .
Difficult to double on the Paul Ricard
Lando Norris knows this circuit well, having raced in Formula Renault in 2016. He had also won the 2nd race of this weekend. But the layout is not quite the same. Neither the atmosphere.
» It’s great, even if it’s a bit complicated to come to the circuit in the morning. I like the track, I drove in Formula Renault. But it’s pretty hard to double here. This is, I think, the only problem. The only real place to double is at the chicane, because there is the DRS and it’s a big braking zone « explained Lando Norris before race 1 at the Paul Ricard circuit.
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