The British driver qualified ahead of Leclerc and maintained his position in the early stages of the race. However, he fell behind during the first round of pit stops as Leclerc and Norris’ McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, opted for earlier pit stops to gain an advantage.
In an attempt to chase down Leclerc, McLaren executed a swap between Norris and Piastri due to the Australian’s slower pace. Norris managed to reduce the gap to Leclerc to less than two seconds, prompting Leclerc to pit and rebuild his lead.
Despite Norris’ efforts, he couldn’t close the gap sufficiently. Reflecting on the race, Norris believed that a podium finish was within reach, considering McLaren’s strong pace throughout the weekend.
However, he acknowledged that Ferrari had the edge in performance, but McLaren missed a chance to secure second place. Norris viewed the race as a positive outcome for the team. Norris explained that the initial plan was to pit him around the same time Leclerc pitted, intending to undercut him.
However, Leclerc pitted earlier than expected, causing McLaren to adjust their strategy. Despite Norris staying out longer to build up a tire offset, Leclerc retained track position.
Norris felt they maximized their strategy but acknowledged missing an opportunity to undercut Leclerc. He praised the team’s performance but recognized Ferrari’s superiority in the current competitive environment.
