Formula 1 championship leader Lando Norris faced a significant setback during the qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, crashing out in Q3 and relegating himself to a 10th-place start for Sunday’s race. The McLaren driver, who had shown dominant form throughout the practice sessions, reflected on the incident with a mix of disappointment and resolve, issuing a heartfelt apology to his team for what he called a “silly mistake.”
The dramatic moment unfolded during Norris’s first flying lap in Q3 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a track known for its high-speed corners and unforgiving barriers. As Norris navigated the fast sequence between Turns 4 and 5, he ran wide, clipping a kerb that unsettled his McLaren MCL39. The car snapped into oversteer, sending him into the concrete wall at Turn 5, damaging the front wing and left-side suspension. The crash triggered a red flag, halting the session with just over eight minutes remaining.
Speaking over team radio immediately after the incident, Norris confirmed he was unharmed but labeled himself a “f***ing idiot,” a sentiment he later stood by in the media pen. “Makes sense. I agree with it,” Norris said when reminded of his self-criticism. “I should be fighting for pole, and on [my first] Q3 lap, I shouldn’t be taking any silly risks like I seemed to have done.” Despite the harsh words, Norris’s tone was notably lighter than after his struggles in Bahrain the previous week, suggesting a more resilient mindset.
The crash was particularly costly given McLaren’s strong performance in Jeddah. Norris had topped both FP2 and FP3, outpacing teammate Oscar Piastri and title rival Max Verstappen, who ultimately claimed pole by a mere 0.010 seconds over Piastri. With Norris leading Piastri by just three points and Verstappen by eight in the Drivers’ Championship, the incident could prove pivotal in the tight 2025 title race.
“I’ve let myself down and let the team down,” Norris admitted to reporters, including PlanetF1.com. “The team has got a lot of work to do sadly, and I’m disappointed. It’s been such a smooth, positive weekend so far, so we’re disappointed to have such a big setback, but I’ve got to take it on the chin.” He apologized directly to his mechanics and engineers, acknowledging the late-night effort required to repair his car for the race.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella attributed the crash to the unpredictable behavior of the 2025 car when pushed to its limits. “The car understeered a bit in corner four, ended up on the outside kerb, and this outside kerb can be quite unforgiving,” Stella explained. “It’s the responsibility of the team to try to improve the car and to try and correct this behavior. Because we want Lando to be confident, comfortable, that he can push the car.”
Looking ahead to the race, Norris remained cautiously optimistic despite the challenges of overtaking on Jeddah’s tight street circuit. “It’s so difficult, almost impossible to overtake around here, so I’m not expecting anything magical,” he said. “If we can work our way up to the top five, six, I would say I’ll be happy.” He highlighted the car’s strong pace but tempered expectations, noting that Verstappen’s pole and George Russell’s third-place qualifying showed McLaren’s rivals were close.
The incident adds to Norris’s challenges in 2025, a season where he has faced intense pressure from Piastri and Verstappen. After a disappointing sixth in Bahrain qualifying and a mistake-laden third-place finish, Norris had spoken of working on his driving style and mental approach. Despite the crash, he insisted the Jeddah incident was unrelated to those efforts, describing it as “a separate mistake” on a track with incredible grip but punishing margins.