Lando Norris Confesses He Looks like a ‘Loser’ After Botched Q3 Lap at Azerbaijan GP

Lando Norris accepted that he looked like a loser after achieving only a P7 start for the Azerbaijan GP race.

Lando Norris Confesses He Looks like a ‘Loser’ After Botched Q3 Lap at Azerbaijan GP

Lando Norris (via F1)

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The Azerbaijan GP Qualifying was extremely eventful with multiple yellow and red flags. Many drivers crashed out of their cars and lost a lot of ground in terms of starting position for Sunday. While Oscar Piastri binned his car into the wall, causing him to start from P9, Lando Norris did not fare much better either. Norris could only manage a P7 start as a botched strategy call caused him to lose out a lot and look like a loser.

McLaren were the first ones to release both their drivers in the Q3 session, which turned out to be their worst decision at the Azerbaijan GP weekend. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri could’ve fought for the pole position if it weren’t for the shocking contingencies at Baku. Now, Norris reflected on the blunders in decisions that the team took that ruined both drivers’ chances to shine in the Qualifying session.

Lando Norris accepted that it was a mistake from his and McLaren’s side to come out of the pit box ahead of the other drivers. Norris insisted that if the situation was different and the cautions and flags came out behind the McLaren drivers, the situation might have been different. The Briton noted that he and his team would have looked like the heroes if they had lucked out with the red and yellow flags.

However, as depicted by the events, Lando Norris missed out a lot because of the flags, and he looked like a loser; the rivals looked like heroes, just because they decided to come out of the pits later. Regardless, the 25-year-old accepted that this was the price he had to pay sometimes, keeping in mind the risks one had to take at a tricky circuit like the Baku City Circuit. Norris will start the race from P7 and will have to work extremely hard to move up the pecking order.

I think it was mistake from my side, from our side, to go out the pit lane first. It couldn’t have been – if there was a yellow flag further back or a red, we would have looked like the heroes and everyone else would have looked like losers. Now I kind of look like the loser and them heroes, but it’s the price you pay sometimes around here and the risks you’ve got to take

Lando Norris said in a post-session interview

Lando Norris hopes to do ‘better next time’

Lando Norris is trailing the championship leader in Oscar Piastri, by 31 points. Piastri’s P9 start could mean that the Briton manages to cut a good chunk in the point disparity between the two drivers. However, the performance at the Azerbaijan GP Qualifying was not up to McLaren’s standards as Norris emphasized that the team must do better in the coming races.

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (via Getty)
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (via Getty)

Speaking on the woes on Saturday, Lando Norris recalled that the track conditions were still relatively wet when he and Oscar Piastri came out of the pit lane. Other drivers behind them had a better grip on the track because of the quick-drying Baku circuit. Norris insisted that the team’s blunders were ultimately decisions that did not work out in their favor. Regardless, the 25-year-old insisted that the team must do better in the coming races, especially because their winning chances looked difficult for Sunday.

But it was still spitting a little bit, so I think anyone who was further back, just more grip. Just a decision that didn’t work out in the end. Something we’ll review and try to do better next time.

Lando Norris noted

Max Verstappen might come back into contention for the driver’s title if he manages to keep up with the winning momentum. Oscar Piastri will have to deal with great consequences in the coming races if his finish at the Azerbaijan GP is not up to the mark. Now, time will tell about how Norris charges against the front of the grid for atleast a podium finish if not the race win.

Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Subtly Plays Blame Game After Shock Q2 Exit at Azerbaijan GP Qualifying