"No one to blame but myself" for worst F1 qualifying of year, says Lando Norris

Lando Norris says there is “no one to blame but myself” after slumping to his worst qualifying of the 2021 Formula 1 season at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver failed to make it into Q3 for the first time this yeaꦗr and was left a disappointing 13th after a pair of late red flags prevented him fro🐻m completing his final flying lap and improving into the top 10.

Norris admitted he simply did not do a good enough job and put the blame for failing to join teammate Daniel Ric♑ciardo in the final part of qualifying firmly on himself after “going a little bit in the wrong direction” with his car set-up.

“My worst qualifying of the season,” Norris conceded. “It makes my life harder t𒊎omorr♋ow, but I am up for the challenge.

“Of course I would’ve liked another attempt to go much quicker, and I think I could have,” he added. “I did not do a good enough first run, and that is the reason I am out now. 🧸A few differe♚nt reasons.

“No one to blame but myself, and maybe going a little bit in the wrong dꦇirection with the car for qualifying. I just did not put it together when it counted, especially when it is so close with these midfield cars.

“You need a perfect lap and a nice slipstream to do 🙈everything, and we did not get all of that together and so we ended up where we did.”

Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren MCL35M.
Lando Norris (GBR) McLaren MCL35M.
© xpbimages.com

Even if the red flags had not occurred, Nor🌸ris is not convinced he would have had the pace to advance into Q3 and challenไge nearest rival Ferrari.

"We are on the brink,” Norris said. "I’m not confident that we could have e൩asily been in and been f𒐪ifth or sixth.

“But Daniel did it so of course it was possible. I just did not have the confidence in the car to really put it all together and nail the lap like he di⭕d.

“I’m not concerned or worried, I’m annoyed that I did not do a good enough job. It is my first weekend of tꦫhe year we did not put it all together when we needed to.

“It makes it worse that it is here because it is not going to be an easy day tomorrow to♕ try and get it back.”

And Norris is not feeliꦏng optimistic about his chances of progression and fighting hᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚis way back into the points on race day, with overtaking opportunities expected to be very limited.

"There are some things with the s🅠trategy and🌟 the start, and we will try to gain some places,” he explained. “I’m sure it's not going to be easy no matter what.

“I’m not expecting anything great. I know qualifying is impo🐓rtant 🧜here. It is a shame but it is the way it is sometimes. You get unlucky. I didn’t do the best lap I should’ve done.”

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