Lando Norris’s yellow flag penalty derailed McLaren’s title hopes, dropping him from second to tenth in Qatar.
Lando Norris lost everything by failing to slow down when Alex Albon’s mirror ended up on the track, triggering a yellow flag.
The FIA launched an investigation after Max Verstappen flagged the issue on the radio, noticing Norris closing in on his diffuser.
At the finish, Norris still didn’t know why he had received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty, costing him the 18 points of second place and leaving him with just 2 points for 10th and the fastest lap.
“Honestly, I don’t know what I did wrong at this moment. Apparently, I didn’t slow down under yellow. I’m not stupid—if I had known there was a yellow, I would have slowed down.”
“I don’t know if I missed it or if I was just stupid, but the rule is clear: if you don’t slow under yellow, it’s a penalty, so it’s a fair penalty.”
Did he miss an opportunity for McLaren in the championship given his strong pace?
“Of course. I had clean air at the end, but obviously, it’s a missed opportunity. That’s pretty clear.”
“But the Constructors’ title hopes remain high. The team gave me an excellent car today, so I’m grateful to them. I’m disappointed I couldn’t do a better job and give them the points they deserved. I’ve made the team’s job much harder than it should have been. The team is doing a fantastic job, but I let them down.”
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Yellow Flag Error Costs Norris and McLaren Crucial Points Yellow Flag Error Costs Norris and McLaren Crucial Points
