Formula 2

Norris Happy with Sprint race Recovery Drive but Rues Saturday Mistake

2 Mins read
Lando Norris - Carlin Motorsport - Silverstone
Credit: Joe Portlock / FIA Formula 2

Lando Norris drove superbly during Sunday’s Sprint race at Silverstone to minimise the points loss to George Russell as best he could, with the British racer climbing from tenth on the grid to claim the final spot on the podium.

After a torrid Saturday, where a stall in the pits ruined his race and left him fighting for what ultimately became tenth position, Norris was on fire on Sunday, passing car after car to move into podium contention, with a double move around the outside of Artem Markelov and Nyck de Vries heading into Club corner a particular highlight.

The Carlin Motorsport driver also survived contact with Antonio Fuoco that sent the Charouz Racing System driver into the gravel trap at Luffield, but despite the podium, he fell a few more points behind Russell, who finished second and gained the bonus points for fastest lap.

“The car’s pace was good enough for a podium in both races so yesterday was particularly disappointing although today’s result made up for it a little,” said Norris.

“Today’s Sprint race was great fun with good pace. I picked off cars from pretty early on. I was really pushing from a third of the way into the race – maybe I should have gone a little earlier. Some of the overtakes were sweet and in general a pretty good recovery from a 10th [place] start.”

Norris revealed the move on Markelov and de Vries was unplanned, and he was only aiming to pass the Russian Time driver at that point, only to find the Pertamina Prema Theodore Racing driver in the right place to attempt the second pass.

“Obviously to get two in one…I probably shouldn’t reveal this, but I didn’t mean to overtake Nyck until I was in the corner,” said Norris during the post-race press conference.  “So I only tried to brake around the outside of Markelov, but by the time I got to the middle of the corner I thought I could probably get Nyck as well! So that was probably the best one.”

Whereas Formula 2 now has two weekends off before it reconvenes at the Hungaroring at the end of the month, Norris will be at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, with the Briton expected to drive Emerson Fittipaldi’s World Championship-winning McLaren M23 up the hill course, something he is extremely excited to be doing.

“Going to the Festival should be cool and driving the M23 up the hill will be incredible – it’s my all-time favourite McLaren GP car,” said Norris.  “I look at it and think ‘wow’.

“I’ve only been to the Festival once before, possibly in 2012, when I was in karts but I’ve never driven up the hill which I’m looking forward to. It’ll be great to see past and present stars in motorsport.”

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