Just In: McLaren Issues health Update on Norris After Heavy Saudi GP Qualifying Crash with…read more
McLaren Issues health Update on Norris After Heavy Saudi GP Qualifying Crash with…read more
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has reassured fans that Lando Norris is in good health following a significant crash during the final segment of qualifying at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The British driver collided heavily with the barriers at the tight and challenging Turns 4 and 5 on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, prompting concerns about both his physical condition and the state of his car.
Despite the severity of the impact, Brown confirmed that Norris emerged unscathed, though his McLaren sustained considerable damage. “He said he was fine on the radio, but the car is a little bruised,” Brown stated in an interview with Sky Sports F1. “We’ll get that fixed and go again tomorrow.”
The crash came at a critical moment in Q3, with Norris having made it into the final round of qualifying before the accident abruptly ended his session. As a result, he will start Sunday’s race from 10th on the grid. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen secured pole position with an incredibly narrow margin of just 0.010 seconds over Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, who will start from the front row in second.
The tight qualifying battle has significant championship implications. Norris currently leads the drivers’ standings, but only by eight points over Verstappen and three points ahead of Piastri. Given the difficulty of overtaking on the Jeddah street circuit, Norris now faces a tough challenge to retain his lead.
Zak Brown acknowledged that the task ahead won’t be easy, but expressed confidence in Norris’s ability to bounce back. “We’ll just focus on the race now. It’ll likely be a one-stop strategy, but this track has a high probability of a safety car, which could shake things up,” Brown explained. “We’ll do our best to move him further up the field. He’ll certainly be quicker in the race than he showed in qualifying.”
Norris’s crash also shifts some of the attention to his teammate Piastri, who is now in a prime position to challenge Verstappen at the front. Brown seemed optimistic about the Australian’s chances in what’s shaping up to be a thrilling head-to-head duel between the McLaren and Red Bull drivers. “Our race pace is strong, but track position is everything here. From the front row, Oscar has a real opportunity. I’m looking forward to a big battle at the front.”
With McLaren showing strong pace throughout the weekend, the team remains hopeful that they can recover from Norris’s qualifying setback and potentially score big with Piastri starting near the front. While the damage to Norris’s car is not ideal, the team is confident it can be repaired in time for Sunday’s race without any performance compromises.
As the race approaches, all eyes will be on how Norris navigates his way through the pack from P10 and whether Piastri can challenge Verstappen for victory. The high-speed, unforgiving layout of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit often produces drama, and with championship standings so tight, every position will matter. McLaren’s race strategy, combined with potential safety car interventions, could be key in shaping the outcome.
Ultimately, the team remains upbeat despite the setback. Brown’s positive update on Norris’s condition and the team’s strong qualifying performance with Piastri ensures McLaren fans have reasons to be optimistic heading into Sunday’s race.
