Lando Norris said on Saturday that he had nothing to moan about after being beaten to pole for the Qatar Grand Prix by McLaren teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri.
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The 26-year-old Briton appeared to be in control after his first flying lap in the third and final qualifying session, but slid off track and aborted his final run before Piastri scorched to pole in the final seconds.
Needing to out-score both Piastri and four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull by two points to take the title this weekend, Norris had been beaten by the 24-year-old Australian in the sprint race earlier, with his lead trimmed to 22 points.
He said that understeer caused him to lose his lap, but felt satisfied to start from second on the grid in a McLaren front row lockout on Sunday.
"I just got a bit of understeer and was going to go off so I had to abort. It's a shame, but that's the way it is," Norris said.
"Oscar did a good lap and drove very well as he has been driving all weekend. So, I've nothing to complain about -– I just didn't do the lap but I'm still P2 for tomorrow."
Piastri's sprint win was his first significant success since winning the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31, followed up with his sixth career pole position for Sunday's race.
"I'm starting from the best spot so I will try and do some more of what I did today in the sprint and then see what we can do," Piastri said.
Three points back on Piastri and starting third on Sunday, Red Bull's Verstappen insisted that he would not do "anything crazy" as he tries to keep alive hopes of a fifth drivers' world title.
"I'm not too worried about it (losing his title)," he said.
"I'm just trying to do my best and if there's a chance, of course, you go for it. But on the other hand you don't want to do anything crazy. It doesn't help at all."