Oscar Piastri takes sprint pole, admits McLaren teammate Lando Norris needs points – Firstpost

Oscar Piastri took pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint race on Friday and said he will race to win but admitted teammate Lando Norris needs more points.

The McLaren duo, reinforced by a redesigned rear wing, closed off the front row of the grid to raise the possibility of team orders in support of Norris’ title bid coming into effect.

After Friday’s sprint qualifying session at Interlagos, the modest Australian driver said he wanted to win Saturday’s race, adding that anything could happen.

“I think first and second is the first goal and then we’ll see what order that is. I know I’m not in the race for the drivers’ standings, for the team it doesn’t matter where we are, so I know that’s the case and we’ll see,” said Piastri.

“I said I would (give up a win) from the moment we first had these discussions.

“Lando needs the points in the drivers’ standings much more than I do, but of course I still want to win. If I do my best and show a good pace, I’m sure it won’t go unnoticed, but we’ll see.”

It was not a clear hint about the likelihood of team orders, but a realization that if the McLaren duo, taking advantage of the performance boost given to them by a new ‘scoop’ rear wing, were to run first and second on the final lap , this could happen.

What a duo. #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/4AJrGly8ks

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) November 1, 2024

Noris is 47 points behind three-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull in the title race with four race weekends remaining this season.

Piastri also said the newly constructed track was so bumpy that it caused problems for the drivers.

“It was a tough session,” he said. “I felt quite comfortable at the start and the grip really showed during the session.

“But because the track is so bumpy this year, it’s hard enough to see where you’re going, let alone try to do a fast lap. It’s a challenge there, but I’m so happy that I can qualify on pole for the sprint.”

‘Sick of questions’

It was Piastri’s second career sprint pole, but he has yet to claim pole for a Grand Prix.

Norris said he was surprised by the speed of his car.

“I was surprised how fast we were today, but a pleasant one of course,” he said.

“I made a few mistakes in my last round so I just boxed, but it was a good job as a team.

“Like I said, I didn’t expect it, so it’s a pleasant surprise. I just made too many mistakes on my last lap to take pole.”

He turned down opportunities to discuss his prospects of successfully closing in on Verstappen in the title race in the sprint.

“I hate these questions so much,” he said. “I don’t care where he qualifies.

“For me it’s just focusing on my own work and that’s it. It’s the same questions every time, but it doesn’t matter to me whether he starts first or last. I’ll just do my best.”

Verstappen, who will face a five-place grid penalty in Sunday’s Grand Prix after taking another new engine, his sixth this year, qualified fourth behind the McLaren duo and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

That put him ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari, Mercedes’ George Russell, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and RB’s Liam Lawson.

“Our car is a bit difficult on the bumps,” said the Dutchman. ‘They put in new tarmac, but they made driving even worse. It is extremely bumpy everywhere.

“And that is not good for our car. In the bumpy areas the car jumps around a lot and that unfortunately costs me quite a bit of lap time.”

Alex Albon finished ninth for Williams, ahead of the impressive Oliver Bearman, the British teenager who drove for Haas in place of the ill Kevin Magnussen.