F1 News: Lando Norris Explains Why He Didn't Slow Under Yellow Flag

Alex Harrington | Dec 1, 2024

Nov 21, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) arrives before practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In the aftermath of the Qatar Grand Prix, Lando Norris has reflected on what was a challenging race. His 10th-place finish was due to a 10-second stop-and-go penalty received for failing to slow under a double-waved yellow flag. Initially contending for the win alongside Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Norris's lapse of judgement had huge consequences for himself and his team.

The race at the Losail International Circuit was fraught with drama, extending beyond the Norris incident. It saw multiple incidents, including a false start by Lewis Hamilton and several crashes and penalties throughout the race.

The Papaya driver, who had been trailing Verstappen closely in the early laps of the race, admitted palpable disappointment after falling down the ranks to finish much lower than he should have. "Disappointed, of course," he told media following the race.

"I've let the team down. The team gave me a great car today. Easily the quickest out there. And I fu**ed it up."

The penalty came after a side mirror of Alex Albon's Williams detached itself and fell onto the main straight, prompting yellow flags on that section. Norris failed to slow as he trailed Verstappen, resulting in the substantial penalty. Sky Sports F1 commentator Jenson Button labeled the penalty as "unbelievably harsh," while McLaren's race boss Andrea Stella criticized the stewards' handling of the situation as lacking "any sense of proportion and specificity."

Yet, Norris was not entirely without fault, as he admitted his oversight with a sense of responsibility.

"I don't know what I did wrong. I'm not an idiot. If there's a yellow flag, I know I need to slow down. That's rule number one: just keep learning go-karts, but for some reason, I didn't do that today because I've not seen it, or I've missed it or something," he said.

Because of this, McLaren's pursuit of the Constructors' Championship has become more arduous, with Ferrari narrowing the gap to McLaren to just 21 points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi. Despite Oscar Piastri's commendable third-place finish, the team now finds itself in a precarious position.

"The team gave me the best car out there today, and I'm very happy and thankful for them to do so," - Norris acknowledged. "I just need to not be an idiot and do what I did today, clearly."

Looking forward, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix presents a crucial opportunity for McLaren to consolidate their standing amidst fierce competition from Ferrari. The pressure is compounded by the high expectations within the team.

"We go in the same way every weekend, wanting to win, wanting to be the best, wanting to be the fastest."