Lando Norris’ prospects for Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix took a heavy hit in Saturday’s qualifying session after confusion over a yellow flag led to the McLaren driver’s dramatic Q1 elimination.
Norris was in the process of comfortably making his way into Q2 when he slowed on his final flyer due to a yellow flag in Baku’s last sector triggered by Esteban Ocon’s slow moving Alpine.
But by the time Norris reached Turn 16, the yellow flags had been cleared, replaced by a white flag signaling a slow-moving car on track.
Unfortunately, the damage was done for the McLaren charger who felt compelled to lift only for the issue to be resolved just as he arrived at the corner.
The end result is a P17 spot on Sunday’s grid that leaves Norris with a monumental task to score a solid haul of points to help him reduce his 62-point deficit to Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ standings.
Upon his return to the pitlane, McLaren race engineer Will Joseph apologized over the radio for the confusion, but it wasn’t clear whether Norris needed to back off when he did, making the situation all the more frustrating.
"The car was good, everyone just did their second laps and I didn't so it was just unlucky,” commented Norris.
“We weren't really on the back foot. When you have a two-kilometre straight and you have to lift at the beginning, of course, there was nothing I could do.
"It is what it is but there is a long race ahead, we have got some good tyres in the bank, so yeah, try and be hopeful and see what we can do tomorrow.
"I haven't been thinking about [the race], to be honest, that is what tonight is for but I am still hopeful we can get a good result.
"The car is quick, I think the lap I was on I could have easily gone second, a bit frustrating but nothing I can do."
Norris suggested that only an optimal strategy would help him improve his chances of racing up the order in Sunday’s race.
"I think everything is going to have to be done with strategy, because you can't overtake," he added.
"There's plenty of cars at the back which just take all the wing off and hope for the best, and that makes it impossible for a lot of cars to overtake them.
"The car is quick, we can hope that that can come into our hands and at some point I can get clean air, but on a street circuit, everything gets backed up so much, you just get forced into a position and you can't do a lot at times.
"We'll hope for the best, but I don't expect anything that's real, unless strategy comes into play."
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