Norris concedes his Qualifying performance was 'just not good enough' as McLaren driver dismisses Imola victory chances

Lando Norris has claimed that his Qualifying performance in Imola during the final stage was "just not good enough", with the McLaren driver set to start fourth on the grid for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

While the Briton will start from the second row, team mate and Drivers' Championship leader Oscar Piastri claimed his third pole position of the season and will start alongside Max Verstappen.

READ MORE: Piastri beats Verstappen and Russell to pole in dramatic Imola Qualifying session

It marks the third time in the last four Grands Prix that Norris will have started outside the top-three, as George Russell snatched the spot on the medium Pirelli tyre, with the soft C6 compound struggling to last for the whole lap around the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit.

Norris had topped the opening segment of Qualifying and believed that his performance "was good until the final two laps. Not quick enough, that's all".

Norris failed to improve on his final effort, losing time in both the second and third sectors, while Piastri and Verstappen improved with their final efforts.

When asked if he failed to improve because of mistakes, Norris replied: "No idea, the lap time just doesn't come.

HIGHLIGHTS: Piastri pips Verstappen to pole at Imola as red flags disrupt Qualifying

"Same answer as every weekend, I think it's a regular thing. I feel better until I get to it [Q3], I obviously just need to work on it a lot, it's just not good enough."

It continues a trend for Norris of struggling to put together a Q3 lap when the pressure is at its highest, having made mistakes in Bahrain which left him sixth, while he started 10th in Saudi Arabia after crashing into the wall during the final segment of Qualifying.

However, there is some encouragement for Norris with the Briton having taken three podiums at Imola on previous visits, which included finishing a close runner-up to Verstappen 12 months ago.

But with overtaking difficult despite a long run down the main straight, aided by DRS into the first braking zone, Norris is pessimistic about his chances for a second win of the season.

"I don't think our [race] pace is that much better," he said. "I mean it's definitely going to be better I assume than others but I'm here to win and I know I haven't got much of a chance of winning. If I can get on the podium that will be nice."

FACTS AND STATS: Piastri takes first McLaren pole at Imola since 2005