Norris 'happy to be ahead' of this team after Imola qualifying

It may not be a race win and the joys of the Miami Grand Prix two weeks ago, but Lando Norris is satisfied with P3 in qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. After challenging Max Verstappen by qualifying within a tenth of a second of the Dutchman, the Brit was also happy to outqualfy the Ferraris on their home soil.

Coming into qualifying today, there was a lot of talk about if the McLarens would be able to challenge the Red Bulls. The papaya-coloured team tried, but they could not find the pace to dethrone Verstappen, who took P1 around Imola. However, Norris was happy to be within a tenth of a second, and with his teammate Oscar Piastri just ahead of him, Norris was happy with the team's performance.

Speaking straight after his P3 in Saturday's qualifying, the 24-year-old said, "P3 is not a bad job at all. Within a tenth both of us for P1. Tiny margins but for us as a team we have had a great weekend. Oscar did a great job and so did Max. Exciting. I can't wait for tomorrow."

Norris knows that his newly upgraded car can outpace the Red Bull of Verstappen, and he knows that they have the opportunity to do the same again on Sunday. "We are getting closer. To be ahead of Ferrari is also a nice result for us. It's going to be close, it's going to be a good race tomorrow. Hopefully, it's an exciting one. Tough, especially when the lap times are so tight. A lot of it is down to Lap One, strategy and the pit stops. It's going to be a tough race"