"It was not the race I was expecting to have today" - Lando Norris surprised at finishing on the podium for the F1 Chinese GP

McLaren driver Lando Norris has claimed that he is surprised by his performance at the Chinese GP as he finished P2 in the main race on Sunday behind Max Verstappen.

The young Brit became the first driver to split the Red Bull duo in the race as he finished ahead of Sergio Perez. The 24-year-old looked strong throughout the race as he managed his tires exceptionally, starting from P4.

Initially, he tried to attempt a one-stop strategy but decided to pit in the safety car period to get the jump over Perez, while the Mexican driver was tucked behind Charles Leclerc.

In his post-race interview, Lando Norris mentioned his race pace caught even him by surprise as he wasn't expecting to manage everything so well. He said:

"I'm happy for the whole team, they deserved it. Good pit stops. Just today worked out. I don't know why, it was not the race I was expecting to have today, but just got comfortable and could manage the tires a lot, which was an easier task than what I could have yesterday.

"And I could just push, the car felt great and I felt comfortable. So a good day, good points, and another podium. So very happy."

Lando Norris shares his thoughts on the bet he made regarding the deficit to Ferrari

Lando Norris stated that he made a bet about the margin of the distance between him and the Ferrari at the end of the race as he expected to finish behind the Prancing Horse given the latter's superior performances in the 2024 season.

The McLaren driver told the press:

"I was surprised by many things: the lack of pace from Ferrari, our good pace, and I guess us comparing to the Red Bull which was so surprising. I got everything ready to go home early and not be on the podium, so it's a pleasant surprise.

"But it shows the team have done a good job, have worked hard and it's paying off. I made a bet on how far behind the Ferrari we would finish today. I thought 35s - and I was very wrong by that. So happy to be wrong with myself, and my own bets, but a good day for everyone."

It was Lando Norris' first podium of the 2024 season and his 15th overall. He has yet to win a race in his career, a fact that he and McLaren would want to change in the upcoming races.