Missed opportunity or wrong call? Why Lando Norris couldn't benefit from Oscar Piastri's Baku F1 crash

Lando Norris will start seventh and Oscar Piastri ninth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a chaotic, wind-hit qualifying that handed Max Verstappen pole. Betting influence: Verstappen is the clear win favorite, while backing McLaren for podium finishes or place-bets could offer value — Norris starting ahead of Piastri may affect team strategy and in-race odds.

Norris downplays 'missed opportunity' after chaotic Azerbaijan qualifying

Lando Norris refused to call seventh on the grid a missed chance to close the championship gap after a disrupted qualifying session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri’s Q3 crash relegated him to ninth, handing Norris the advantage of starting directly ahead, but Max Verstappen ultimately took pole after denying Carlos Sainz a shock top spot.

Final Q3 run went wrong

Norris admitted a mistake in running first on the final Q3 sortie, a decision that cost him crucial tenths. A slip at Turn 15 compounded grip issues, leaving him over a second shy of Verstappen’s benchmark. “I went out first and it was just the wrong decision to make in the end,” Norris said. He stressed the choice made sense at the time and that unpredictable light rain further unsettled the session.

Wind, red flags and a chaotic session

Strong gusts from the Caspian Sea wreaked havoc on qualifying and produced a record six red flags. Drivers struggled for consistency as wind speeds swung wildly between laps, with one corner repeatedly catching competitors out. Norris described some corners as among the hardest he’d driven, citing high-speed tailwinds that suddenly dropped and left cars on the verge of losing control.

Race outlook: Verstappen favorite, McLarens hunting the podium

Starting seventh and ninth, the McLaren pair face an uphill battle to challenge Verstappen, who looked formidable on long runs. Norris acknowledged Red Bull’s pace advantage but still targeted a podium: “I’m not sure about the win, but we’re trying to get on the podium.” He also revealed he had not completed high-fuel runs, leaving questions over McLaren’s long-run pace heading into Sunday.

What this means for strategy and the race

Norris starting ahead of Piastri could influence intra-team tactics and opening-lap battles. With overtaking challenging on this circuit and a mix of cars likely out of normal positions after qualifying, track position will be at a premium. Teams will weigh tyre strategies and early aggression against the risk of being caught out by the fickle winds that shaped qualifying.

Drivers’ immediate focus

Norris said he has a “long night ahead” of analysis to understand tyre work and fuel runs, while the grid shapes into a likely Red Bull victory bid with McLaren eyeing podiums. Expect strategic gambles in the early laps as teams attempt to exploit traffic, safety cars, or changing conditions to climb the order.

McLaren's Lando Norris doesn't see his seventh place on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix grid as a missed opportunity to claw back his Formula 1 deficit to championship-leading team-mate Oscar Piastri.Piastri crashed out in Q3, which relegated the Australian to ninth on the grid. With Norris having to make up a 31-point gap in the standings, the incident gave the Briton an opportunity to put some ...Keep reading

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