Lando Norris secured his best ever qualifying result after qualifying seventh for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Norris was the sole McLaren F1 Team in the final part of qualifying after team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. just missed out.
Other drivers struggled at the Baku City Circuit with Robert Kubica and Charles Leclerc both ending the session with their cars in the wall and Norris believes that having a clean qualifying was the key to a good starting position for the race.
“It was obviously a decent quali – in the end – in terms of the result.
“I managed to stay out of danger, didn’t make any silly mistakes and capitalised a bit on other who did.
“It was having a clean qualifying that made it pretty good for us.”
Norris feels he did not fully nail his fastest lap but is happy to start seventh as he admits it was probably the best the team could hope for.
“It could maybe have gone a little better if I’d nailed the lap but I’m still happy with seventh.
“I think we maximised today overall and I’m pretty pleased with how it’s gone.”
While Norris was pleased with his qualifying performance, the young British driver admitted that it will be a long race and anything could happen.
“It’s going to be a long one tomorrow though.
“The starting position doesn’t decide the whole race here like it does at some other tracks.”