Lando Norris says trying to steal a tow from Oscar Piastri at the 2025 Spanish GP was simply a coincidence and not an attempt at gamesmanship, as he opens up on the secrets behind their late qualifying drama as the McLaren drivers contend for the Formula 1 title.
The Brit was holding provisional pole as the final laps began on Saturday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but wasn’t happy to rely solely on the DRS and straight-line speed of his MCL39 down the 1047 metre long pit straight.
As a result, he cleverly positioned himself in the third sector to try to steal a tow for some extra top speed, also called a vmax, to give himself the best chance possible to make it back-to-back poles.
Funnily enough, the car that came through as he did that was his McLaren teammate, who promptly pulled over as soon as he finished his own lap to deny the 25-year-old the tow he craved.
So, was he targeting his teammate? Norris opens up on secrets to his gamesmanship with Piastri at 2025 Spanish GP as the two drivers at the top of the standings prepare to do battle.
“We planned it the whole weekend,” Norris joked to media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “No. I didn’t know Oscar was going out first, to be honest. I tried to get a slipstream from someone. I think I was unlucky that it was Oscar.
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“It was just a coincidence. I was tenth or something in the queue. I don’t know who I’m going to get a slipstream from because you’re waiting two minutes in the pit lane. So yeah, just coincidence.”
Norris says tricky race beckons at 2025 Spanish GP
Qualifying wasn’t easy for the drivers with a scorching hot track in Montemelo, meaning that the 20 cars on the grid even had to manage their tyres throughout their out-laps and push-laps to ensure the Pirelli rubber lasted the two laps.
McLaren, famed for their excellent tyre management, held up the best and delivered their laps to secure a front-row lockout but Norris warns Sunday’s Grand Prix poses a very tricky challenge to keep the tyres in good nick over 66 laps.
“We’ve been good in all conditions so far,” Norris added. “It’s obviously very hot. So, like Oscar said, just a bit of a struggle for everyone.
“It’s a struggle in quali to look after the tyres for one lap, so the race is then much trickier.
“But the car has been good the whole weekend, as you’ve shown today. So yeah, that’s always reassuring before Sunday.”
