Monza practice was Norris' "final test" for F1 place

Zak Brown reveals that the practice session in FP1 on Saturday, was Lando Norris' "final test" to become a Formula One driver for McLaren next season.

It was announced yesterday that Norris would be taking Stoffel Vandoorne's 2019 seat at McLaren.

Norris told the media that he was offered the seat on Saturday, a day before the Italian Grand Prix commenced.

"I was about to get my bags of Haribos out for the team, pre-race snacks," Norris explained to the media. "And I walked into the office and Zak was in there. I had a flight to catch and I wasn't able to stay for the race.

Norris admitted that he was slightly concerned that the McLaren seat opportunity had passed him following speculation that other drivers such as Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon being linked with the seat.

"With all the speculation of Ocon, Perez, it kind of twisted it a tiny bit, which I think was their plan. But even for me, I think they'd rather not say anything, just to leave me focusing on whatever I had to do during the weekend. I didn't see it coming, especially that quickly," Norris explained.

McLaren CEO Brown confirmed that Friday's FP1 session made up McLaren minds.

"We've been watching him mature in and out of the car," Brown said. "The free practice runs were kind of the final test, if you want to call it that, less about speed because we were confident of that, just how would he take to the environment of being out on the track with the big boys."