Lando Norris averted a penalty after the Dash however says the efficiency potential that Ferrari has at the US Grand Prix is “worrying.”
The McLaren driver is attempting to shut the hole to Max Verstappen within the drivers’ championship however needed to accept third place behind race-winner Verstappen and Carlos Sainz on Saturday. Each Ferraris almost received previous Norris and he admits the efficiency seen on Friday has translated up to now into race tempo that’s prone to be powerful to beat.
“It was nonetheless a troublesome race,” Norris stated. “The beginning was clearly good, and it gave me fairly a little bit of hope firstly of reaching one thing robust, however simply not the tempo at present. The entire weekend truly we’ve been fairly a great distance off.
“I don’t suppose we had been stunning in comparison with Max, however the Ferraris had been simply one other degree. They had been fast yesterday; they each simply didn’t get probably the most out of their quali laps, however their potential was worrying.
“So I used to be a bit like, ‘Perhaps that’s simply quali and [in] the race they are going to be a bit additional off,’ however they had been simply as fast at present. Qualifying we have now issues to work on, and the race we clearly have much more to work on. Not unhealthy, however we’re not quickest, and we’re not fast sufficient.”
Norris was below investigation for allegedly driving erratically late within the Dash, each as he misplaced a place to Sainz after which as he defended from Charles Leclerc, however the stewards opted to take no additional motion.
“There didn’t seem like any vital modifications of route below braking, and the transfer at Flip 15 was a professional defending transfer by the motive force of Automotive No. 4,” the stewards’ choice learn. “In Flip 1, Automotive No. 4 locked up below braking and went vast, dropping a place.”
Leclerc acknowledged each the incident and Ferrari’s efficiency after the Dash, believing the crew can look to mount a extra critical problem for victory on Sunday.
“I feel our race tempo was actually robust at present,” Leclerc stated. “We had various combating, which is a part of racing in a Dash race, so it was a really high-adrenaline Dash race. My strategy of attempting to save lots of just a little bit extra within the first 5 – 6 laps didn’t repay, and that was it.
“On the finish [I started to push]. We had been very quick, however then there was a DRS prepare in entrance with Carlos having the DRS of Lando, and a detailed name on the final lap with Lando, so all-in-all P4 is the best way it’s. It’s a Dash race and we’ve realized quite a bit for tomorrow.”
