Norris: “I’m Generally Happy, But I Make Life Hard for Myself”

Lando Norris reflects on a missed podium in Jeddah, blaming his own qualifying error for turning a strong weekend into frustration.

McLaren’s Lando Norris put on a solid performance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, climbing from P10 on the grid to finish fourth. But for the British driver, it wasn’t enough.

Despite the impressive recovery, Norris couldn’t help but focus on the mistake he made in qualifying — a misstep that, in his own words, cost him a shot at the podium, or perhaps even more.

“I think fourth was the best we could do today,” Norris admitted. “It’s a shame we didn’t make it onto the podium. We were close, and those moments are always hard to judge. Charles [Leclerc] had a strong race and a really good first stint.”

What frustrates Norris most is that he knows he’s making things harder than they need to be.

“I’m generally happy with how I drove, but I make life difficult for myself—especially in races like this one. It would’ve been a much easier, more relaxed race if I’d been further up the grid. I need to give myself a better shot by improving my Saturdays.”

With Ferrari and Red Bull showing strong pace once again, Norris brushed off any surprise about their performance.

“I don’t really get why people are surprised. They’re fast in qualifying, and they’re just as quick during the race. Today, Max [Verstappen] was probably the fastest out there — penalty or not — so we’ve got work to do.”

Norris also lost his lead in the championship to teammate Oscar Piastri, adding extra fuel to the fire as the season starts to heat up.

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Norris: “I’m Generally Happy, But I Make Life Hard for Myself” Norris: “I’m Generally Happy, But I Make Life Hard for Myself”