Norris will start the 56-lap race on Sunday from the second row, with Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin beside him in third place. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, also had a strong performance, clocking the fifth fastest time in Q3.
Unlike the Qualifying Sprint session, the main Qualifying did not produce any surprises. Max Verstappen, the current championship leader, secured pole position in his Red Bull RB20, while his teammate Sergio Perez grabbed the other spot on the front row of the grid.
Unfortunately, Norris was unable to replicate his impressive performance in the Qualifying Sprint, where he took pole position in challenging weather and track conditions.
Things went downhill for Norris from there. He was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton in the Sprint race and lost control of his MCL38 while trying to maintain his position on the outside. In the end, he finished the Sprint in sixth place.
What can Norris hope to achieve from fourth place on the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix?
When asked about his feelings after Qualifying by Sky Sports F1, Norris expressed overall satisfaction with his fourth-place result. He said: “I’m very pleased. It was a tough battle with Fernando. Couldn’t have asked for much more.”
Norris acknowledged that Red Bull is clearly superior this weekend in terms of qualifying and race pace. He stated: “Red Bull is clearly in a different league this weekend, both in terms of qualifying and race pace.”
Regarding his growing rivalry with Alonso in 2024, Norris commented: “It was still a good day. Would I like to be ahead of Fernando? Yes. Is it possible with the car? Yes. It is what it is, and it’s a good position for the race.”
Norris concluded by saying: “We are taking a lot from the car. Just our tire degradation and tire management that we need to improve.”
The Chinese Grand Prix will start at 08:00 BST (15:00 local time) at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday, April 21.
