Norris Frustrated After Qualifying Gamble Backfires in Baku
Lando Norris was left wondering what might have been after a strategic misstep in qualifying left him starting from seventh on the grid for tomorrow’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The McLaren driver admitted going out first for the final qualifying run was “just the incorrect thing” as light rain began falling over the Baku street circuit.
“I still did everything I could,” Norris insisted when asked if he’d missed a golden opportunity. “If I won every race, I could be world champion by now, but I didn’t.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse for the Briton, who watched helplessly as track conditions improved slightly for later runners.
“Sometimes it goes your way around here, sometimes it doesn’t. We thought we took a better option.”
What made the situation particularly painful was that his teammate Oscar Piastri crashed into the barriers during the session, forcing him to start ninth. This had opened the door for Norris to potentially make significant gains in his title fight.
Instead, he’ll be starting just two places ahead of Piastri.
“The opportunities are every single weekend to be on pole. I try and do that every weekend,” Norris explained. “Today I struggled more because of not making the best decision, but that’s a hindsight thing, not an incorrect one at the time.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s race, Norris was realistic about his chances against championship leader Max Verstappen.
“I think we’re running the pace to beat Max. I think he’s just going to be fast. He’s been quick all weekend.”
“They could easily win in Monza, they could easily win again here this weekend. I’m not sure about the win, but we’re trying to get on the podium.”
The Baku City Circuit has historically been challenging for overtaking, making Norris’s qualifying position even more frustrating.
“There’s a good number of cars ahead that are probably a little out of position, but Carlos’ lap was still pretty good. He’s up there. It’s not an easy track to overtake on.”
Complicating matters further, Norris revealed he has limited experience on the track this weekend.
“I haven’t done any high-fuel running, I haven’t done many laps this weekend in general. I’ve got a lot of questions I still need to answer.”
He’s now facing a late night studying teammate Piastri’s data to prepare for the race.
“I’ve got a long night ahead of me, but the pace is always there or thereabouts.”
With championship points on the line and Verstappen looking strong again, Sunday’s race will test just how far McLaren’s improved pace can carry Norris through the field.
