Lando Norris has vowed not to treat Max Verstappen poorly despite downplaying their friendship as he seeks to dethrone the reigning world champion. Norris will start Saturday’s sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix from second on the grid, two spots ahead of Verstappen, after his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, snagged a last-minute pole position.

During qualifying, Norris was poised to take pole, but Piastri edged him out by a slim 0.029 seconds with his final lap. While Norris may be frustrated, McLaren’s strong performance and Piastri’s support in Saturday’s 24-lap race provide reasons for optimism, as McLaren has committed to prioritizing Norris over Piastri, who is out of the title race.

Currently trailing Verstappen by 47 points with four rounds remaining, Norris posted a time three-tenths quicker than the Red Bull. Verstappen, facing a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s main race due to engine component overuse, hands Norris a critical advantage with up to 34 points up for grabs this weekend. Norris also gained seven points on Verstappen last round in Mexico City, after Verstappen received penalties for twice forcing him off track.

Despite the rivalry, Norris has clarified that their relationship is more professional than friendly. “People think we’re closer than we are,” he noted, explaining that they rarely communicate outside of racing. He respects Verstappen’s skills and acknowledges his accomplishments, though he criticized Verstappen’s defensive tactics on track.

Meanwhile, British teenager Ollie Bearman made an unexpected appearance for Haas after Kevin Magnussen withdrew due to illness. Bearman reached Q3 in his first run, starting 10th after a lap deletion for track limit violations. Lewis Hamilton, starting behind his teammate George Russell, will launch from 11th for the sprint race at 11am local time (2pm GMT) ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix qualifying session.