Lando Norris Accepts McLaren's Grid Position but Eyes Austrian GP Fightback

Posted : 28 June 2026

Lando Norris has admitted McLaren achieved the best result it could in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, despite expecting a stronger performance after an encouraging start to the weekend.

McLaren entered Saturday with hopes of challenging near the front following impressive pace during Friday's practice sessions at the Red Bull Ring. However, the team could only qualify sixth and seventh, with Norris leading teammate Oscar Piastri on the third row of the grid.

Mercedes' George Russell claimed pole position, while Ferrari locked out second and third through Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen qualified fifth, just ahead of Norris, despite crashing on his final flying lap in Q3 and missing the chance to improve.

Although the final grid position was disappointing, Norris said the incredibly small gaps between the leading teams meant there was little more McLaren could have achieved.

"We were probably expecting a little bit more from a position point of view," Norris admitted. "But the margins were incredibly close, and my lap felt pretty good."

The reigning Formula 1 world champion explained that only an exceptional lap would have been enough to gain a few extra places, adding that McLaren had extracted almost everything possible from its current package.

"It takes a pretty insane lap on a day like today to gain a couple of positions, and those laps don't come around very often," he said. "We're as close as we could be, and today the others simply didn't make the mistakes we needed."

Norris accepted the outcome without frustration, insisting McLaren deserved its position based on its current level of performance.

"We are just where we deserve to be," he said.

Despite the qualifying setback, the British driver remains optimistic about Sunday's race. High temperatures are expected to increase tyre degradation, making strategy and race management more important than outright qualifying pace.

Norris believes McLaren can still fight for a strong finish if it manages its tyres effectively and capitalises on opportunities during the 71-lap race.

"The race is going to be incredibly hot, and tyre degradation will be a major factor, much like it was in Barcelona," Norris explained. "A lot can happen with strategy and pit stops. If we manage the race well and take advantage of opportunities, we'll be in a good position to achieve a strong result."

McLaren will be hoping its race pace proves more competitive than its one-lap speed after showing encouraging long-run performance throughout practice.

For Norris, the Austrian Grand Prix also presents another opportunity to return to the top step of the podium. The reigning world champion is still searching for his first victory of the 2026 season and will be eager to build momentum before next weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Lando Norris Accepts McLaren's Grid Position but Eyes Austrian GP Fightback

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