Lando Norris says desperation has not set in as he bids to turn pole into win

Lando Norris claimed he is not desperate to convert his pole position into victory at Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Briton reminded Max Verstappen of his championship credentials with a scintillating lap in Zandvoort to finish 0.356 seconds clear of his Red Bull rival.

Norris’ speed by the seaside was underlined with a half-second advantage over Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren, who will line up from third for Sunday’s 72-lap race.

Verstappen temporarily bumped Norris off the summit to huge cheers, only for Norris to knock the home favourite – who had taken three poles and three wins since the sport returned to the Netherlands in 2021 – off his perch.

Norris is 78 points behind Verstappen in the championship standings and might have been closer but for a catalogue of mistakes by driver and team.

However, Norris said: “I am working hard to win and I want to win, but I am not desperate because desperation doesn’t lead to anything.

“I have worked hard and little bits are paying off but tomorrow is the biggest place of all to show that.”

The McLaren driver’s title challenge has been derailed by lacklustre starts. Norris’ latest mistake arrived in Belgium when he dipped his McLaren into the gravel on the exit of the opening corner and dropped three positions.

Before that, he lost out to both Piastri and Verstappen after starting from top spot in Budapest.

And prior to that in Spain he was usurped by George Russell and Verstappen on the blast to the first turn. Norris has not ended the opening lap in the lead on the three past occasions he has begun from pole.

“I know my starts have not been my forte,” he added. “You get respect with stats but you lose respect with stats, too. Numbers on a screen don’t mean a lot to me. I care but they don’t impact me.

“I know I have gone backwards, rather than hold position but I have worked hard and I am working hard to try and change that and tomorrow is a new day.

“I am not going out to suddenly prove people wrong. I am just going to crack on with what I do.”

Norris’ missed opportunities have raised questions about his title temperament. Earlier this week, he admitted he has hasn’t been driving at the level required to win the title.

His comments led team principal Andrea Stella to insist his star man is world championship material. Verstappen, sitting alongside Norris, also offered his support.

“Lando is very, very fast,” said the Dutchman. “That is why he is in Formula One and performing at the level he’s at.

“It will only get better with experience. I have been fighting for world championships for longer than him but when the team is working well and you are driving well, it just comes to you. I have never doubted him.”

Mercedes’ George Russell finished fourth as Lewis Hamilton endured an afternoon to forget after he failed to make it out of Q2. Hamilton qualified 12th and was later demoted three places for blocking Sergio Perez.

The seven-time world champion headed into the summer break with his second win from three races after Russell was disqualified in Belgium.

But he ended up four tenths behind his team-mate here to leave him way down the order.

It marked the second successive year that Hamilton has been eliminated in Q2 in Zandvoort and the first time since China – a streak of 10 races – that he has failed to make it into Q3.

“It was a pretty shocking session,” said Hamilton. “What can I say? It doesn’t feel good.”

Elsewhere, American driver Logan Sargeant was left on the sidelines following a heavy crash in final practice.

Sargeant lost control through the banked third corner, bouncing off the barrier and back on to the track. The 23-year-old’s car then dramatically caught fire.

Sargeant leapt out of his burning machine before slumping over the barriers. He was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks and was given the all-clear. However, Williams were unable to repair his car in time.

And to complete a torrid day for the British team, Alex Albon was then disqualified from eighth for running an illegal floor. The decision is set to elevate Hamilton to 14th on the grid.