Lando Norris not fooled by McLaren’s advantage at Imola: ‘They always catch up’
“FP2 we always look good, we always look better than everyone and then we get to qualifyingꦿ and they catch up.”

Lando Norris is refusing to get carried away by McLaren’s dominant start to the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri and Norris finished 1-2 in both Fඣriday practice sessions at Imola, continuing their impres😼sive start to the 2025 F1 season.
McLaren have won five of the opening six races and will be the team to beat again tꦏhis weekend.
Last time out in Miami, the two McLarens finished over 30 seconds ahead of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell in third, with the hotter track temperatures playing into the strengths of 𓃲the MCL39.
While cond𓃲itions are cooler at I♍mola, McLaren’s advantage is still significant.
With🐟out a mistake in the final sector - and then traffic into the final corner - Piast🐷ri was on course to top the session by around 0.2s.
However, a common trend throughout this year is that McLaren’s advantage diminishes in qualifying relative to practic🉐e.
Reflecting on Friday at Imola, Norris expect🌌s McLaren’s rivals to close in aꦗs the weekend progresses.
“I think pretty happy today,” Norris said. “A difficult track to just get in the rhythm of things. It’s fast. This is a track all about timing and getting everything perfect, which is not easy to do when you’re goi♐ng at the speeds that we do.
“Therefore a fun day, we made s🌠ome ꦇimprovements and hopefully some more to come for tomorrow.
“I’m sure he [Piastri’s] going to find things too. FP2 we always look good, w𝔍e always look better than everyo💫ne and then we get to qualifying and they catch up. So I don’t think we are in a comfortable place, we still have work to do.
“Alpine were quick, they have always been quick here. I’m sure Red Bull will ꩲcatch up and Mercedes will be on it just when they turn their engines up. So nothing to be comfortable by. But I think a productive Friday.”
Piastri echoes Norris
Dirꦛty air is more prominent in 2025 due to the maturity of the regulations and cars producing more downforce, so there’s a greater emphasis on qualifying.
Piastri conced👍ed that while be𒊎ating Norris in qualifying is important, there will likely be external competition for pole position.
“Yes▨. I mean Saturday has been very important pretty much everywhere this year,” Piastr🍸i explained.
“Imola, I think regardless💫 of what the rest of the year looks like, qualifying means a lot. That is going tღo be important.
“At the moment I don’t think it’s just Lando and I. There’s a fe🔯w others will join us in the 🔯fight tomorrow. So we will have to keep our heads down and try and find a bit more.”

With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and storylines, Connor i🐼s the heartbeat of our unbiased reporting.