Norris stuns Monaco with record lap to beat Leclerc to pole
Lando Norris delivered a sensational final lap to take pole position for McLaren at the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, denying local favourite Charles Leclerc in a dramatic conclusion to qualifying.
The 25-year-old Briton became the first driver to break the 70-second barrier around the famed Monte Carlo circuit, clocking a record 1:09.954 to edge Leclerc by just 0.109 seconds. It marked Norris’s first pole in Monaco, second this season, and the 11th of his Formula 1 career.
“It has been a long time coming,” said Norris. “I feel good. I don’t think I would realise how good this would feel after a few struggles over the last couple of months. We have worked a lot to get where we are today.”
Leclerc, who won last year’s race in emotional fashion, appeared to have clinched a fourth Monaco pole before Norris’s late heroics.
“I feel there’s more to be done,” said Leclerc. “At the end of the day this was the best we could do. The first lap was a bit of a shame and I’m just frustrated. We know we don’t have the car for wins this year.”
Oscar Piastri, Norris’s McLaren teammate and the current championship leader, qualified third.
(Source: AFP)
