Lando Norris has conceded it “hurts” to say his pole position effort at the Italian Grand Prix was not a strong run.
Norris marginally out-paced team-mate Oscar Piastri on the first round of hot laps during Q3, before improving slightly on his second run.
The Briton acknowledged disappointment with his effort over the team radio before being informed that he had bagged pole position.
Norris repeated the feeling after the session despite it being enough to bag his fifth career pole position.
“Another pole is amazing,” Norris said. “To have a first and second when the field has been as tight as it has all weekend, it's a little bit of a surprise, but a nice one.
“So a big well done to the team. They’ve done an amazing job. Honestly, my lap, it hurts me to say it was not a great lap.
“My Q3 run one was, but run two was a little bit more - but it was still good enough for pole.”
Having won from pole position last weekend at Zandvoort, Norris is looking to mirror the result which would see him narrow the gap to Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship.
“The same would be lovely,” Norris said when asked what he is hoping for in the grand prix. “But like we've seen all weekend, it's so close.
“There’s a lot of very quick drivers behind and quick cars, so I'm not expecting a very easy race tomorrow.
“There are a lot of unknown things going into the race, with the race with the degradation, the tyres, the tarmac. Plenty of question marks and plenty of excitement.”
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