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Norris taking pole by over three-tenths of a second served as a big statement to Verstappen and Red Bull – especially on a short track like Zandvoort, where fine margins are the norm.
Boosted by the first major McLaren upgrade since Miami, Norris went into qualifying well in the hunt for pole and delivered an outstanding lap when it mattered at the end of Q3. He called it “by far my best lap” of the day.
“I felt good all the way through qualifying, honestly,” Norris said. “The car’s been strong all weekend, we’ve felt comfortable, we’ve felt strong.” The upgrade on the McLaren car has worked well, building on the medium-speed corner strength it flashed again at Zandvoort.
“Our long-run pace was pretty strong the other day,” Norris said. “But Max, Oscar, both the Mercs, especially George in the position he is, are quick and are going to be challenging. So I’m not expecting it to be easy, for sure.”
It sets up another chance for Norris to take the fight to Verstappen and potentially spoil the Dutchman’s homecoming. There hasn’t been a true battle between Norris and Verstappen since their battle for the win in Austria ended in contact, so the run to the first corner may get a bit of extra edge on Sunday.
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Courtesy : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/f1-dutch-qualifying-live-updates/8U3f2Ma53bur/