Lando Norris pinned the blame on himself for doing “a terrible job” after a track limits violation in Formula 1 qualifying left him eighth for the United States Grand Prix.
Reigning world champion Norris looked set to qualify sixth on the grid but his best lap time was deleted by race control after he was judged to have breached track limits at COTA.
The mistake cost Norris two positions and saw him drop behind McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
Track limits proved to be a big talking point throughout practice and qualifying as several drivers fell foul of the white lines. But Norris was not interested in making excuses after qualifying.
Norris ended up eighth after a track limits breach
“Not at all. It’s fine,” Norris bluntly responded when asked how challenging track limits had proved to be in Austin. “I just did a terrible job today so not very happy with myself.”
Norris, who felt P2 was possible in qualifying, went on to brand his MCL40 challenger as “easily the hardest car” he has ever driven in F1.
“Just a mixture of everything, honestly,” the 26-year-old said of his struggles in the McLaren.
"It’s easily the hardest car I’ve ever driven in my life but it was still easily good enough for P2 today so it’s just disappointing really.”
Norris added: “The car was quick, it's just nasty to drive. I saw a good result, it's possible. I think I still have faith that we can get a good result tomorrow.
McLaren introduced further updates to its MCL40 in Austin
“I don't know how easy it's going to be to overtake and things like that. But, for a lot of the track, we seem on par.
“We struggle a lot in sector three and there's very slow speed. We're pretty dreadful, honestly. But tomorrow is a new day.”
McLaren arrived in the United States hoping an upgrade package would help reduce its deficit to its F1 rivals.
“We try and improve it every time. We improve the car, we bring upgrades,” Norris said.
“But it's something we're not completely... I don't know, it might be that the car is just not quick enough and therefore there's always hope that I can do a mega lap and I can be P1.
“But you improve three corners and the other three are a nightmare all of a sudden. It's just impossible. It's an impossible car to achieve the perfection that I want to achieve at the minute.
“Which is a struggle, because I want to go for pole, and I need to tell myself to settle for a P5, and I don't want to do that.”
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