Norris qualified for McLaren on Saturday at the Yas Marina Circuit in third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who move into the season finale with equal points at the top of the drivers’ championship.
Norris said shortly after qualifying that he felt “a little nervous” about lining up behind Verstappen and Hamilton and that he was reluctant to interfere in their championship bout.
But for McLaren team boss Seidl it was important for Norris to treat the start of the race “as always” and not to prepare for the first lap with a special plan because of the championship situation.
“If you try to be too careful, for example into the first corners, or try to stage something, you take away from the drivers this intuitive feeling or the experience they are having and this intuitive reaction, and then it is it will be dangerous, “said Seidl after qualifying.
“I think this has to be the process of tomorrow for Lando.
“In the end, the goal for tomorrow is clear. We want to achieve a good result for ourselves as a team and with Lando we want to return to P5 in the drivers’ standings.
“For that we need a good result and that’s how we go about it.”
Lando Norris, McLaren, waves from the grid after finishing third in qualifying
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
Norris starts the race on Sunday four points behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the battle for fifth place in the drivers’ championship and is just 4.5 points ahead of Carlos Sainz in seventh.
But he was sure that he could try to fight the order to reclaim Leclerc’s place without causing problems in the title fight.
“I think I have confidence in myself that I can do what I have to do without creating controversy, without anything bad happening,” said Norris.
“That’s part of their racing too. It’s also up to them to compete against other people. It was an easy championship for them and I’m sure there have been much bigger hurdles this season than just trying in the McLaren to overtake me. “
“So yes, of course we have to choose our fights carefully. And I know that realistically I drive Ferrari. But in doing so, I can win a position on the track if I get involved and try to get it to the start, so I’ll do that.
“I just have to know that I won’t drive them in the long run and they have their own fight. I think maybe you have to leave a little more space and have a little more respect because they’re in that fight.” for the championship.
“The last thing I want to do is for something to happen. Yeah, that’s difficult. It’s a difficult situation, to be honest, we just have to wait and see.”
