In the tight battle for pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix sprint, Lando Norris has disclosed a crucial element that allowed him to challenge Max Verstappen effectively. The McLaren driver finished just 0.093 seconds behind Verstappen in the sprint qualifying laps, with both starting on the front row.

Norris highlighted the McLaren’s superior traction out of corners as a significant advantage in his duel with Verstappen. “The tractive force behind our car is really strong, allowing me to reclaim a lot of time on the corner exits,” Norris explained. “Even though Max had the edge in top-end speed and carried more speed into the braking zones, our ability to shed less speed on the brakes and take a little more through the corners made a big difference.”

The GPS data supported Norris’ observation, showing that while Verstappen’s Red Bull reached higher speeds before decelerating, Norris managed to close the gap significantly through the corners and on the exits. “I could bring our delta down quite a bit as we went up the hill after Turn 1, but Max’s greater top-end speed ensured he overlapped my speed trace about two-thirds of the way up,” Norris added.

The McLaren’s performance in short-radius corners, potentially due to higher downforce at low speeds or stronger compliance against Red Bull’s stiffer setup, also played a role. Despite this, Verstappen maintained an advantage in the latter half of the lap, particularly in medium-high speed corners where Red Bull’s strengths shone through.

Reflecting on the race strategy, Norris emphasized the importance of the first lap. “If we can leapfrog the RB20 and take the lead, our traction and energy deployment can keep Max in check,” he said. “However, with three DRS zones, it’s going to be a tough challenge. The first lap will be crucial.”

Norris also mentioned McLaren’s need to improve handling through Turn 7, where Verstappen carried more speed. “We need to iron out that stub𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 crease to stand a good chance, but it ultimately lies in driver confidence,” he noted. “If we can dial in our setups to handle the higher-speed sections better without compromising our strength in tighter corners, we’ll be in a strong position.”

As the parc ferme opens, McLaren aims to fine-tune their car’s setup for better performance in the race. “It depends on how the first lap plays out, but if we have a setup that swings more towards the race, it’ll add more intrigue to the weekend,” Norris concluded. “For now, though, Red Bull has started stronger, and we have to be ready to capitalize on any opportunity.”

The Austria GP promises a thrilling showdown, with Norris and McLaren poised to challenge Verstappen and Red Bull in the sprint race and beyond.