BREAKING: Lando Norris’ F1 title hopes take a significant hit after Q3 CRASH as…read more
Lando Norris’ Title Hopes Dented by Costly Q3 Crash in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Qualifying
Lando Norris has suffered a significant blow in his pursuit of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship after crashing out during Q3 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The incident will see the McLaren driver start no higher than 10th on the grid for Sunday’s race, depending on potential damage to his car.
The crash occurred in the fast and unforgiving Turn 4-5 section of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, where Norris clipped the kerb, lost control, and collided with the barriers. The error abruptly ended his qualifying session, just as he was showing strong pace and appeared to be in the fight for pole position alongside teammate Oscar Piastri.
Norris had been looking to regain momentum in the championship battle after a mixed start to the season. Despite winning the opening race in Australia, he has openly admitted to struggling with the handling and consistency of this year’s McLaren car. His performances have been under close scrutiny, particularly with Piastri showing increasing confidence and consistency.
The young Australian has proven to be a formidable rival within the team, claiming victory in China and finishing ahead of Norris in multiple races. In Japan, Max Verstappen returned to winning ways, but Piastri again showed solid pace, while Norris had another frustrating weekend, marred by mistakes in Bahrain where he qualified sixth but couldn’t capitalize, unlike Piastri who controlled the race from pole.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying crash further compounds Norris’ struggles at the Jeddah circuit. He has yet to out-qualify Piastri at this track, having trailed him in both the 2023 and 2024 editions. Friday’s crash now adds to that unwanted trend, raising more questions about Norris’ ability to consistently challenge for the title.
McLaren will be closely inspecting the car to assess any damage to critical components such as the chassis or power unit. If replacements are needed, Norris could face grid penalties that would push him even further back, complicating his recovery mission on race day.
Sunday’s race now presents a steep challenge. While overtaking is possible at Jeddah due to its high-speed layout, starting from 10th or potentially lower puts Norris at a strategic disadvantage. With his teammate starting further up the grid and the championship battle tightening, the pressure is on for Norris to deliver a damage-limiting performance and keep his title ambitions alive.
