Lando Norris on Oscar Piastri's Baku Struggles After 'Scrappy' Session

Lando Norris' Free Practice 2 session in Baku ended prematurely after he grazed the wall at Turn 4, misaligning his suspension. While frustrated by his own incident, Norris noted that his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, also faced challenges, including a power unit issue in FP1 and a separate collision with a barrier.

Why it matters:

McLaren's 'scrappy' Friday in Baku, marked by incidents for both Norris and Piastri, highlights the unforgiving nature of the street circuit and could impact their preparations for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With the team aiming for continued strong performance, overcoming these early setbacks will be crucial for maintaining their championship momentum.

The Details:

• Norris's FP2 Incident: About halfway through the second practice session, Norris made contact with the wall at Turn 4. The collision, primarily affecting the rear of his car, caused suspension damage and forced him to return to the pits, curtailing his valuable high-fuel long run practice.
  • He acknowledged the mistake as 'costly' but expressed a preference for pushing limits rather than not exploring them at all.
  • Norris specifically mentioned the challenge of adapting to Baku's unique characteristics this year, noting the track is 'quite a bit quicker' and the use of a 'softer compound' Pirelli tire, which is uncommon for the team.
• Piastri's Challenging Friday: Piastri's FP1 was compromised by a power unit issue, limiting his track time. In FP2, he was reprimanded for a yellow-flag infringement and also had a minor collision with a concrete barrier.
• Team Performance: Despite leading FP1, both drivers dropped in FP2, with Norris finishing 10th and Piastri 12th.

The big picture:

McLaren has enjoyed a strong season so far, with both Norris and Piastri at the top of the drivers' championship standings. However, their Friday performance in Baku serves as a reminder that even top teams can struggle on demanding circuits. The incidents underscore the fine margins in Formula 1 and the critical need for clean sessions to optimize car setup and driver confidence, especially on a track where qualifying position is paramount.

What's next:

McLaren's engineering team will be working intensively overnight to analyze the data from both cars and address the issues. Norris expressed confidence in McLaren's ability to 'make up for it' on Saturday, but acknowledged that the team is 'behind on the learnings' compared to rivals.

• Norris identified Ferrari as looking 'particularly strong' and noted that Red Bull, despite often having quiet Fridays, 'go to sleep and they wake up and then they’re just quick again.'
• The focus for Saturday's qualifying will be on minimizing errors and maximizing track time to secure strong grid positions, which are vital for a successful race in Baku.