McLaren's Formula 1 World Championship leader Lando Norris called himself a "f@cking idiot" after crashing in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying, and stuck by the self-criticism when talking to reporters afterwards.
Thankfully uninjured after crashing out, a furious Norris described himself as a "f@cking idiot" over the team radio. Asked about it afterwards by Sky F1, the McLaren driver doubled down: "Makes sense. I agree with it. Should be fighting for pole.
"I shunted, so I'm not going to be proud, I'm not going to be happy. I have let myself down and let the team down," said Norris, who also blamed himself for "silly risks" he did not need to take. He will start the Grand Prix on Sunday, from P10, because he made it into Q3 in Qualifying.
Australian teammate and F1 title rival Oscar Piastri, three points behind in the standings, had a much better night and will line up on the front row alongside Red Bull's pole winner Max Verstappen. One of the two is likely to be the new 2025 F1 championship leader by the night's end.
Brown: Just focus on the race
Reflecting on the hefty shunt that ripped the right front wheel off the McLaren exiting Turn 4, Norris said: "I don't know what happened. I need to look into it all. Just a mistake I guess, I was pretty comfortable and happy until then.
"It has made my life and everyone in the team's much harder because everyone has a big job to try and fix everything," added a disconsolate Norris.
McLaren chief executive Zak Brown, whose team are leading the standings after three wins in four races, suggested Sunday could bring some sort of redemption for his British driver: "It will probably be a one-stop race, but with the high likelihood of safety cars around here.
"So just focus on the race, do the best we can, and see if we can get him further up the grid. He'll certainly be faster than he qualified," added the McLaren boss. (
Is Lando Norris a f@cking idiot?
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