Lando Norris expressed his frustration after a costly error in Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying left him starting from fifth place. The McLaren driver said he would rather die trying to get pole than settle for anything less.
Norris had shown promise in Friday's qualifying session, but his hopes were dashed when he made a mistake at Turn 3 on his final flying lap. The error forced him down the escape road, leaving him fifth on the grid while teammate Oscar Piastri finished third behind Charles Leclerc and polesitter George Russell.
Norris's Frustration
After the session, Norris admitted he would rather make a mistake while pushing the limits than settle for a mediocre position. "I'd rather die trying to get a pole than just settle for a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, whatever it is," he said. "I want to put together a perfect lap, not just an average lap. I paid the price for that."
However, Norris acknowledged that his car was struggling on the straights. "My car is a long, long way off on the straights. That's obviously limiting because there are a lot of straights here. It's painful, but there's nothing I can do," he added.
Norris also felt he had been driving well throughout the weekend, but issues with the car were limiting his lap time. "We're probably not going to fix them tomorrow, which means we're in for a tough race," he said.
When asked about his chances of a podium on Saturday, Norris replied, "Of course, I hope for a podium, but with my straightline speed it will be impossible."
The mistake was a blow for McLaren, who had shown promising pace in qualifying. Piastri managed to extract the car's potential to start from the second row, while Norris will have to fight from fifth. The race will be a tough test for Norris and the team to maximize strategy and car performance on the Baku street circuit.
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