“Happy but not happy enough”: Norris on second-row start in Barcelona

Norris missed out on FP1 as McLaren used one of their rookie practice sessions | Credit: Formula One

After a disappointing Monaco Grand Prix where he failed to take the chequered flag, McLaren’s Lando Norris qualified fourth in Barcelona ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix. Although McLaren were rumoured to be one of the favourites for pole heading into qualifying, the team had no answer for the pace of the Mercedes or Ferrari ahead. 

Discussing the change in their fortunes from last weekend, Norris highlighted that “I don’t know if it’s progress” as the top three continues to be a step out of reach for the Woking-based team. Set to start on the second-row for Sunday’s Grand Prix with current championship leader Kimi Antonelli alongside him, the British driver noted that he was “happy but not happy enough” about the outcome of qualifying. 

Norris highlighted that the “progress” of the team was in fact simply a “return to the form we had in Montreal”. As one of the teams sporting new additions to their car this weekend, McLaren no doubt were hoping this would be another step in their journey back to the front. Unfortunately, the new additions did not produce the results that the team were hoping for.  

Norris was the fastest car on track in FP2 by 0.057s ahead of Russell | Credit: Formula One

While Norris conceded that “we’ve taken steps forward” with the new changes including a new front-wing that has been trialled on a few occasions so far this season including in Monaco, there can be no doubt that McLaren are still “three and a half tenths off” compared to the pace-setters ahead. Norris, who was the fastest car on track in FP2, highlighted that "fractions of a second can make a difference", something made especially more apparent given the close gap between himself and Antonelli at the end of Q3.

So far in 2026, both reigning champion Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri have finished in the runner’s up position on the podium on separate occasions. However, the pair have also suffered mechanical issues including a disastrous double Did Not Start [DNS] at the Chinese Grand Prix. As the reigning world champion, there can be no doubt Norris will be hoping to improve from his current position of sixth in the World Drivers’ Championship standings. 

Speaking about his chances to battle with the likes of George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Antonelli ahead, Norris was clear that it was “very unlikely” that the MCL40 would have the pace or performance to challenge Mercedes and Ferrari on this occasion.