Lando Norris title bid ‘not over’ as Red Bull Azerbaijan GP ‘suffer’ theory emerges

Lando Norris received encouragement from Jacques Villeneuve after his major Azerbaijan GP qualifying setback, as he tipped Red Bull to “suffer” with their rear wing.

Norris went into the Azerbaijan GP weekend with McLaren confirming their intention to back him fully in the title fight against Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, having reduced the gap to 62 points , though he will have major work to do after dropping out of qualifying at the first hurdle.

Jacques Villeneuve declares Lando Norris title bid ‘not over’

Norris will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from all the way down in P17, on a weekend where it was put to 1997 World Champion and Sky F1 pundit Villeneuve that Norris has seemed a bit out of sorts.

However, though Verstappen starts P6, Villeneuve does not believe Norris’ qualifying setback is necessarily a title push-ending moment.

Villeneuve said of Norris: “He knows he has a quick car, and he knows the Red Bull will suffer in a straight line with the big wing.

“Max is starting sixth, so he could have an issue at the start, you know, not finish the first lap, not score any points and Lando finishes eighth or seventh, score a few points. So it’s not over in the championship battle.

“If Verstappen was on pole, then it would be a different story.”

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Confusion reigned in Q1 as Norris reached a slow-moving Esteban Ocon in the final sector, the yellow flag panel flashing as Norris lifted off, while also going wide over the Turn 16 kerb.

And Norris believes strategy will now be crucial to working his way up the order come Grand Prix Sunday in Baku.

“I think everything’s kind of going to have to be done with strategy, because you can’t overtake,” said Norris.

“There’s plenty of cars at the back which have taken all the wing off and just hope for the best, and that makes it impossible for a lot of cars to overtake them.

“The car is quick, and we kind of hope that can come into our hands and at some point I can get clean air, but on a street circuit, everything gets backed up so much you just kind of get forced into a position and you can’t do a lot at times.

“We’ll hope for the best, but I don’t expect anything magical in that strategy comes into play.”

But, pressed on what this means for his title chances, Norris concluded with: “Doesn’t make a difference for me.”

Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri stars from P2, while Sergio Perez is the lead Red Bull in P4 on the grid.

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