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Lando Norris confirms Eseries return

06 May 2020
McLaren F1 star rates Supercar as ‘favourite car to drive’
3 mins by James Pavey
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Formula 1 star Lando Norris has confirmed he will return to the BP Supercars All Stars Eseries grid next week after making his debut tonight.

WATCH: NORRIS DRIVES WRONG WAY, BLOCKS PITLANE

Lando Norris drives wrong way, blocks pitlane

The McLaren driver announced the news on Twitch following his wildcard Eseries appearance, having labelled the V8 Supercar as his "favourite car to drive".

The Englishman was the star attraction and one of five wildcards in Wednesday’s fifth round, featuring three races at Circuit De Spa-Francorchamps, the home of the Belgium Grand Prix.

He was third in ARMOR ALL Qualifying behind the only two drivers to have claimed pole position previously: Shane van Gisbergen and Anton De Pasquale.

The Top 10 Shootout didn’t go to plan though, with Norris copping a kerb strike penalty on the opening corner, meaning his time wouldn’t count.

“Not a lot happened [in qualifying] because it all ended in Turn 1, I just over pushed a bit,” Norris said.

“It’s a tricky corner in this car, I’m used to going through [Turn 1] flat out in pretty much every single car I’ve ever driven.”

“It was close, but I was off, so doesn’t really matter at the end of the day if it was close or not. I just risked too much.”

Norris started seventh in his first race and finished provisional fourth, pending penalties to Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen ahead.

In Race 16, on a reverse grid, Norris started 27th and took no prisoners as he made his way back to the front.

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He was 14th before the midway point of the opening lap and from there moved his way through the field.

Had it not been for Chris Pither firing him into a wall on the way into pit lane, he would’ve finished higher than his eventual 19th position.

It did provide one of the highlights of the night, where Norris who had already passed pit entry, drove the wrong way around the circuit for a short period, to return to pit lane.

In the third and final race of the night, Norris finished 10th in the #04 Walkinshaw Andretti United Holden Commodore.

Norris said there’s a stark difference between a V8 Supercar and any other car he has driven both virtual and real-life.

“This car is a bit of a beast and you have to handle it very differently to what I’m used to,” Norris said.

“When it came down to it, I just tried a bit too hard and over pushed and that’s the last thing this car wants in terms of how it wants to be driven.”

  • Norris eyes drive of real-life Supercar

When asked what the most challenging aspect was of steering a Supercar, Norris answered: “Everything. The braking and the acceleration. Just the handling of the car is a lot slower, it’s a much heavier car than what I’m used to with a lot less downforce.

“You have to drive it in a lot calmer manner, and you have to be very patient and slow with your input and you have to do the heel and toeing and the blipping for the down changes.

“It’s very different to what I’m used to but its such a cool car. Probably my favourite car to drive.”

Round 6 next Wednesday is due to take place at the Circuit of the Americas and Sebring.

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