Norris Slams Red Flag Luck as Verstappen Clinches Win

Norris criticises Verstappen’s advantage from red flag, insisting Russell deserved the Brazilian Grand Prix victory after an unlucky turn.

Lando Norris’s weekend at the Brazilian GP ended on a disappointing note with a sixth-place finish in a rain-soaked race.

Starting from pole position, the McLaren driver lost ground at the start and then struggled further in the wet conditions. His chances were effectively dashed when Verstappen and the Alpine F1 drivers benefitted from a free tyre change under the red flag.

“It all came down to losing position. We were simply penalised by the red flag and the free pit stop for the others, so it’s unfortunate, nothing more.”

“George Russell was also affected; he was ahead of me and probably felt like he won the race today. He deserved to win more than anyone, but sometimes it’s just bad luck, and the rules go against you.”

“A tough day overall. I made a few mistakes that cost me dearly against George and Charles. That’s it. It was a difficult day; I gave it my best. I’ve had a lot of good races, so it was bound to go wrong at some point.”

Norris now faces the stewards for a start-line infringement during the aborted start. Why did he go?

“It’s something I need to discuss with the team.”

As for the decision to pit after initially refusing on lap 25, Norris commented, “I trust the team and what they say, and they trust me.”

“It was just bad luck. I’m not concerned about the setback; that red flag was simply luck for them, nothing more. They got lucky with a rule that no one really agrees with. They might have agreed with it today, but every driver has been on the receiving end of it in the past.”

“Today, it worked out for them. It could have been beneficial for us if we’d stayed on track, but it’s a silly rule. Just a bit of bad luck today, nothing more. Of course, it’s disappointing.”

“Max drove well, and he had a bit of luck, but that’s how it goes.”

It’s worth noting that Norris must make up at least three points on Max Verstappen in Las Vegas if he hopes to delay the title race until Qatar. However, with a 62-point deficit and only 86 points still possible, it now seems a steep challenge.

Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, followed his team leader but incurred a 10-second penalty added to his race time for colliding with Liam Lawson. He eventually finished in eighth.

“It was deserved; I didn’t leave enough room and hit the back of his car. I apologised during the break. It was a tough day.”

“It was tricky; I wanted to stay on track, but it was extremely difficult. We’ll need to review the race.”