Lando Norris Crashes Out of Qualifying at the 2025 Saudia Arabian Grand Prix

Formula 1 championship leader, Lando Norris, experienced a setback during the qualifying session at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. His McLaren car hit the wall while navigating the fast section between turns four, five and six, ending his qualifying session prematurely.

The Fateful Incident in Q3

During his first push lap in Q3, Norris mounted a kerb, which unsettled his McLaren, causing him to hit the wall. The impact damaged his front wing and the suspension on the left-hand side of the car.

After hitting the wall, Norris came to a stop on track, prompting a red flag with eight and a half minutes remaining in the session. At that point, only Norris’ teammate, Oscar Piastri, had set a time in Q3.

Consequently, Norris will now start no higher than 10th for the grand prix tomorrow, while his championship rivals, Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, are poised to start the race from more advantageous positions.

Norris’ Reaction and Other Close Calls

Understandably upset, Norris was heard saying “fucking idiot” over team radio after his race engineer, Will Joseph, checked in on him following the crash.

The incident in Q3 marked the first significant occurrence during qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, despite yellow flags being displayed in Q1 when Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto spun off track. Several other drivers also had close calls with the wall on the exit of the circuit’s final turn.