‘I’m pretty sad, actually’: Norris’ cheeky response after knocking Piastri off hometown pole

Melbourne’s Oscar Piastri is a huge step closer to his dreams of victory on his home track. But if he is to end the drought of having no Australian driver on a Melbourne podium, Piastri will need to overcome two huge obstacles; his teammate and Melbourne’s fickle weather, with the circuit set to be drenched in rain for the first race of the season.

Lando Norris pipped Piastri by just 0.084 of a second, or roughly 5.8 metres, to claim pole at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in front of a record 136,347 fans – the highest Saturday attendance on record for the event.

When asked if it was “bittersweet” to take away what would have been his teammate’s maiden pole position, Norris was only too happy to crack a few jokes.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri is in with a huge chance at his hometown race.Credit: AP

“I’m pretty sad, actually,” Norris said with a laugh. “Listen, I’m the kind of guy that would say, ‘Yes, it’s a bittersweet because I’m the kind of guy that wants to not upset people’, but it’s also my job ... So, that’s really in my contract and I have to go out and drive as quick as I can.”

The Brit showed nerves of steel in response to Piastri’s own final flying lap of qualifying to top the grid with a McLaren 1-2 to start Sunday’s race. Four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen will start on the second row of the grid, alongside fierce rival George Russell.

Norris set a blistering 1:15.096, to Piastri’s 1:15.180.

Piastri was pipped at the death in qualifying.Credit: Eddie Jim

“I’m pretty happy … probably one position further back than I would have liked, but it’s a great start to the year,” Piastri said immediately after qualifying, acknowledging he lost some valuable time in the third sector of his final flying lap. “I’m pretty happy with how qualifying went – [it was] just not quite enough in Q3.”

Piastri is well aware of the huge opportunity Sunday presents, but admitted it was “the most relaxed” he’d ever been at his home race. This is the fourth time an Australian has qualified second at their home grand prix, but no Australian as ever stood atop the podium at Albert Park.

“It would be special,” he said. “It would mean a lot, obviously, to have an Aussie on the podium ... that would be a good start. But obviously, if I can stand on the top step, then I’ll do everything I can to achieve that.

“Putting national pride aside, I want to do it for myself as well. So I’ll try my best.”

Both McLaren drivers confirmed they were free to race each other on Sunday, with Norris eying off a fifth grand prix win and Piastri a third.

The McLaren duo will be looking in their side mirrors on Sunday for Verstappen, whose prolific resume includes some astonishing wins in wet weather. The Dutchman won the Brazilian Grand Prix last year, overtaking from 17th on the grid in soaking conditions.

While Piastri shone under Saturday’s sweltering sun, Alpine rookie and fellow Australian Jack Doohan qualified 14th after making it into the second knockout session. It was a promising start for the 22-year-old son of five-time motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, considering the rumours around his contract and potential replacement by reserve drive Franco Colapinto.

But it was a disastrous afternoon overall for rookie drivers, with Mercedes prodigy Kimi Antonelli and Ollie Bearman both knocked out in the first qualifying session.

Bearman missed most of qualifying due to a faulty gearbox. The 18-year-old crashed during practice on Friday and then spun during final practice on Saturday, dipping his wheels on the grass near turn 11 and hurtling into the gravel trap.

Champion Australian swimmer Kyle Chalmers presents the pole position trophy to Lando Norris.Credit: Getty Images

Red Bull’s New Zealand star Liam Lawson was arguably the only driver who had a worse day than Bearman, qualifying in 18th after being eliminated in Q1. Lawson ran through the gravel trap near turn three and also went wide on the final lap into the grass – an unfortunate mistake that interrupted his lap time.

Ferrari signing Lewis Hamilton debuted in the iconic Rosso Corsa overalls to much fanfare at Albert Park, but the 40-year-old seven-time world champion had a tricky qualifying session, spinning in the middle sector in Q2 but escaping without damage. Hamilton will start the race tomorrow in eighth, with teammate Charles Leclerc right next to him in seventh.

The Australian Grand Prix starts at 3pm on Sunday.

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