Lando Norris expressed disappointment after a stop/go penalty during the Qatar Grand Prix caused him to drop from a potential podium finish to 10th place. Initially, Norris had a strong start, overtaking Mercedes’ George Russell and challenging Max Verstappen for the lead. However, a 10-second penalty for not slowing under double waved yellow flags pushed him to the back of the field.
In a post-race interview with Sky Sports F1, Norris admitted uncertainty about the penalty, stating, “Honestly, I don’t know what I’ve done wrong at the minute. Apparently, I didn’t slow under the yellow. I’m not an idiot – if I knew there was a yellow, I would have slowed down.” Despite the setback, he acknowledged the penalty as fair.
Despite the penalty, Norris showed strong pace later in the race, recovering to finish 10th. He recognized the missed opportunity, especially as McLaren’s fight for the constructors’ championship intensifies, heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.
Reflecting on the race, Norris said, “The team gave me a great car today, so I’m thankful for the team. Disappointed that I couldn’t have done a worse job than I did today and not give them the points they deserve, so I’ve made the job of the team much harder than it needs to be.”