Andrea Stella points to Lando Norris over P7 result in Baku. Photo Race Pictures

Norris blunt at McLaren call: 'Now I look like the loser'

18:01, 20 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Andrea Stella and Lando Norris are in disagreement of McLaren's decision to put send the British driver out early in the final part of the qualifying session.

Lando Norris failed to capitalise on his teammate's crash in qualifying in Baku. Photo: RacePictures

We thought that was alright from that point of view, it was just more a matter of executing the lap.

- Andrea Stella.

Stella, when speaking following the qualifying session with Sky Sports F1, he defended the team's decision to send the Briton out early, holding Norris accountable for his lowly P7 position at the flag.

"There was a bit of pressure with time, there’s a pressure with yellow flags.

"So, I think in our condition, it was important to put a lap together. Ultimately, the lap didn’t come as good as we wanted.

"But being first gives you the safety from a yellow flag point of view, you can control the warm up of the tyres on the out-lap.

"We thought that was alright from that point of view, it was just more a matter of executing the lap."

Norris, however, sees the decision from a completely different outlook. Regarding if he had missed an opportunity there, the Briton responded with a plain "No."

During his push lap, Norris ended up clipping the wall at Turn 15. How much time did it cost him?

“I don’t know. I didn’t have a delta so I don’t know how much I lost. Two tenths maybe, so a couple of positions, but not 1.1 seconds to Max," the Brit said.

Norris then proceeded to criticise McLaren's decision to send him out early in Q3.

“I think it was mistake from my side, from our side, to go out the pit lane first," Norris argued.

"If there was a yellow flag further back or a red, we would have looked like the heroes and everyone else would have looked like losers.

"Now I kind of look like the loser and them heroes, but it’s the price you pay sometimes around here and the risks you’ve got to take.

“But it was still spitting a little bit, so I think anyone who was further back, just more grip. Just a decision that didn’t work out in the end. Something we’ll review and try to do better next time."

Qualifying at Baku turns to carnage

Qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was an all-time record for Formula 1 with six different drivers crashing out and bringing out six red flags.

First it was Alexander Albon who clipped the inside wall at Turn 1 in Q1. Then followed Nico Hulkenberg who crashed his Sauber with 6 minutes left on the clock.

When Q1 was ending, Pierre Gasly went straight on at Turn 4, and Franco Colapinto distracted by his teammate's off, lost control of his car on exit, and found the wall too.

In Q2, it would be Oliver Bearman's turn to bring out the red flag. As the Britone negotiated the second corner, he clipped the outer wall with his front right tyre. Albeit a minor hit, it would put the rookie out for the rest of the session.

Then Charles Leclerc, thought to be a contender for pole, saw his run cut short having understeered into the wall at Turn 15.

Oscar Piastri, the championship leader, then crashed at Turn 3, carrying too much speed into the corner, and meeting the hard concrete wall forcefully.