After being informed by McLaren that he wanted to prioritise his teammate’s world title bid, Oscar Piastri has certified second for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, whereas Lando Norris will begin seventeenth.
McLaren have had the perfect automobile for a number of races and Norris has steadily closed the hole within the drivers’ championship to Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen, whose dominance over F1 has disappeared.
Nonetheless, in per week the place McLaren confirmed they’d prioritise Norris over Piastri, after the Australian outclassed the world title challenger at Monza, the Brit might solely qualify seventeenth quickest and was knocked out of Q1.
He needed to watch from the paddock as his teammate, who completed second in Monza, soared to second whereas Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed pole.
The main blow for Norris was compounded when he watched Verstappen, who leads the championship by 62 factors with eight races remaining, battle to sixth-fastest.
With time expiring on the finish of Q1 and Norris on his flying lap, the Alpine of Esteban Ocon forward clipped the wall and slowed down.
A yellow flag was briefly displayed on a digital panel in entrance of Norris, however was then shortly eliminated.
Norris instantly slowed down after seeing the panel flip yellow, but it surely didn’t keep yellow for lengthy.
Norris tried to get onto the accelerator however made a multitude of the following nook. He then aborted his lap.
Norris was not on the tempo on his first run and clocked in a banker time which regarded beneath menace from automobiles who had been going to do one other quick lap on the finish of the session, when the observe was at its quickest.
That proved to be the case, as McLaren shall be left questioning if they need to have despatched Norris out earlier, or if he even wanted to decelerate as he had not reached the panel earlier than slowing down.
“It’s what it’s, lengthy race forward, we’ve got some good tyres within the financial institution,” a dejected Norris informed Sky Sports activities F1.
“I am nonetheless hopeful we will get a very good outcome, the automobile remains to be fast. A bit of bit irritating however nothing I might do.”
When requested if he had the “inexperienced gentle” to race for the win tomorrow, Piastri cheekily mentioned “undoubtedly”.
“I feel following round right here shall be actually powerful, so hopefully I can get some clear air however I feel our race tempo is nice,” he mentioned.
“However the Ferraris usually are not sluggish.”
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix shall be held on the Baku avenue circuit on Sunday at 9pm, AEST.
