**Lando Norris Qualifies 17th for Azerbaijan Grand Prix: What Went Wrong?**
***Formula One*** driver Lando Norris faced disappointment in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying session as he qualified in 17th place. This setback comes as a blow to Norris’s hopes of closing the gap on championship leader Max Verstappen. In this article, we will delve into what went wrong for Norris and the controversy surrounding the yellow flag that affected his qualifying performance.
**Why the Yellow Flag was Shown**
The challenging nature of the Azerbaijan street circuit often leads to mistakes by drivers, resulting in yellow flags being shown. These yellow flags indicate that a driver has made an error and needs to use the run-off areas. As a result, drivers who set their times later in each qualifying stage run the risk of having their laps compromised by late yellow or red flags.
Both McLaren cars had to run again in Q1 after their initial laps left them in danger of elimination. Norris was on track to secure a competitive position after improved times were set due to the evolving track conditions. However, Esteban Ocon’s collision with the wall at Turn 5 caused a left-rear puncture, forcing him to drive slowly and triggering yellow flags. The yellow flags, along with the usual waved white flags signaling a slow-moving car, forced Norris to slow down during his lap.
Approaching Turn 16, Ocon moved to the left-hand side of the track, and Norris, who was on a timed lap, was alerted of Ocon’s presence. A flashing yellow panel was shown at the bottom of the hill near Turn 16, causing Norris to lift off the throttle as required by the regulations. Although Norris continued his lap, it was another flashing yellow panel shown for Ocon approaching Turn 18 that forced Norris to slow down significantly. This loss of speed cost Norris his lap time, resulting in him qualifying in 17th place.
**Should it Have Been a Yellow Flag?**
Following the qualifying session, McLaren sought clarification from the FIA regarding the decision to display a yellow flag. Typically, a white flag indicates a slow car on the circuit, but it does not require drivers to slow down as a yellow flag does. McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella, expressed his frustration, stating that a yellow flag was unnecessary when a slow car was off-line, as was the case with Ocon. However, he acknowledged that everyone involved tries their best.
If a white flag had been shown instead of a yellow flag for Ocon, Norris would have been able to maintain his speed through the corner and likely advanced to Q2. The decision to display a yellow flag is at the discretion of race control and the marshals at each post. Given that Turn 18 is a blind corner with high speeds, the yellow flag may have been considered the safer option compared to the white flag.
**Looking Ahead to the Race**
Although Norris remained composed after the qualifying setback, he acknowledged the difficulty of overtaking on the Azerbaijan circuit. He expressed uncertainty about his chances of making significant progress during the race due to the limited opportunities for overtaking.
In conclusion, Lando Norris’s qualification in 17th place for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a result of the yellow flag incident caused by Esteban Ocon’s collision with the wall. The controversy surrounding the decision to display a yellow flag instead of a white flag has left McLaren seeking clarification from the FIA. Norris faces a challenging race ahead, with limited opportunities for overtaking. However, as an unpredictable sport, anything can happen on race day, and Norris remains hopeful.
*Top photo: James Sutton/Getty Images*