Norris says Baku finale was like 'racing in qualfying'

Lando Norris says the frantic two-lap finale in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was like "a race in qualifying" which the McLaren driver thought was "cool".

Sunday's race was red flagged three laps from the end following Max Verstappen's dramatic tyre failure and heavy crash into the wall.

The Dutchman fortunately emerged unscathed from the wreck, but debris littered across the track on the main straight required a thorough clean-up job from the marshals which encouraged race control to temporarily halt proceedings.

A second standing start and a two-lap sprint followed thereafter, with Norris finishing P5 after overtaking AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda and also benefitting from Lewis Hamilton's error at Turn 1.

"It was pretty intense," Norris told Sky Sports F1. "I think one of the nice things is you just have so much grip.

"Low fuel, new rubber, it was just like a race in qualifying really so it is cool, it went our way.

"I gained two positions which is why I am happy. It was just another opportunity for us to gain some more positions, which we did, thankful for that."

• Read also: 'Over the moon' Vettel didn't expect podium in Baku

Norris has regularly enjoyed strong launches off the grid this season, but in Baku the Briton fell from 9th to 12th on the race's opening lap as he was caught out by the congestion at the first corner.

"The actual launch was okay but sometimes it is difficult, once you put yourself and commit to a position in Turn 1, it can go right and it can go wrong," he explained.

"It can back up all of a sudden and people lock up and things happen. There was a gap and I went for it but it backed up a lot more in the middle and the guys on the inside and outside could get past.

"I have had good starts and good first laps all season and I am not disappointed it hasn't gone my way today because hopefully we can bounce back and get a better one next time.

"After the penalty yesterday and after a pretty bad first lap, to ended up P5 is still good for us."

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