Dejected Norris in blunt admission after shock qualifying blow

A deflated and frustrated Lando Norris admitted he was "just not quick enough" after slumping to an unexpected sixth place on the Bahrain Grand Prix grid as McLaren team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri surged to pole.

Having showed what appeared to be dominant pace all through practice at Sakhir, championship leaders McLaren were heavy favourites to lock out the grid's front row for Sunday's race.

Their advantage did not prove as pronounced once into qualifying as conditions cooled into the Bahrain evening and rival teams closed in but, while Piastri still looked strong throughout and duly claimed pole, Norris eventually lapped four tenths of a second slower than the sister car and qualified on row three.

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"I didn't even go a tenth quicker [on his second Q3 lap]," a dejected Norris told Sky Sports F1.

"I'm just not quick enough."

Keeping all his answers in his post-qualifying interview short with the disappointment of the result evident, Norris pointed to himself and said "here" when asked where and why the session had gone wrong.

He added: "No idea. Honestly, no idea. Just not quick enough."

Championship leader Norris will now unexpectedly start the race with five drivers - Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Pierre Gasly and Kimi Antonelli - between himself and Piastri, who trails the Briton by 10 points in the standings.

Max Verstappen, who is just one point behind Norris after his win ahead of the McLarens in Japan last week, starts one place behind Norris in seventh although Red Bull are enduring a difficult weekend on track.

"It's just another day," said Norris when asked about his Sunday prospects from sixth.

"Look into things, see why I was struggling so much today and try again tomorrow."

And asked how he now picks himself up overnight for the Grand Prix, Norris simply replied: "Nothing. Go to sleep."

Piastri and McLaren expect Norris to fight back in race

Were Sunday's 57-lap race to finish how it starts, then Norris would lose the leadership of the Drivers' Championship for the first time this season to Piastri.

However, McLaren's expected superior pace in a race on an overtaking-friendly track where multiple tyre stops are predicted should allow Norris to make his way up the order. His team-mate is certainly expecting as much.

"It's going to be tight through the whole field," said Piastri to Sky Sports F1.

"I'm obviously expecting Lando to come through."

Zak Brown, McLaren's chief executive, offered a similarly optimistic outlook for his one disappointed driver.

"Tomorrow is a new day," said Brown.

"He's got a great race car, he's a great racing driver, he's leading the championship so just a fresh start, a good night's sleep. He just missed the first sector a bit and that just shows how competitive Formula 1 is.

"You can definitely race around here so we just need a good start, I think we'll have a couple of stops tomorrow, see if there are any Safety Cars, work some strategy and help him where we can but he's got a fast car underneath him."

Sky Sports F1's Bahrain GP Schedule

Sunday April 13

• 10.50am: F3 Feature Race
• 12.20pm: F2 Feature Race
• 2.30pm: Bahrain GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday
• 4pm: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
• 6pm: Bahrain GP reaction: Chequered Flag
• 7pm: Ted's Notebook

Formula 1 continues its triple-header in Sakhir at the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - No contract, cancel anytime