Autobayng News Team
Last year in Baku Lando Norris climbed 11 places to finish fourth, ahead of championship rival Max Verstappen, in a superb damage-limiting performance.
But he failed to make up a single position after lining up seventh on the grid last weekend as overtaking proved much more difficult in Azerbaijan.
The timing of his team’s decision to pit him played a significant role in this outcome. Norris started the race on the softer medium-compound tyres, yet ended up running a long first stint, and only managed to gain a single place at the end of the race on hard tyres.
Why didn’t McLaren take advantage of the opportunity to pit him earlier? Norris’s radio messages from the race show they asked Norris about that strategy during the race, but had to prompt him later for a reply, and their best opportunity to pit early could have been missed as a result.
Selected radio messages from Norris in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Jump to:
“Oscar is in the wall”
“We want you to use overtake”
“I’m stuck in DRS at the moment”
“We could do a box to overtake Leclerc”
“I need your feedback on what I said”
“Okay, focus on Tsunoda now”
“Tsunoda has been told to pick up the pace”
“It’s a straight fight with the cars ahead”
“One more lap”
“Oscar is in the wall”
Before the race began, Norris was given his customarily cheeky briefing on which drivers had chosen to start the race on hard tyres. Significantly, it included three drivers who had started ahead of him.
Norris lined up two places ahead of his team mate and championship rival Oscar Piastri. But the second McLaren crashed out within seconds of the start, handing Norris a huge opportunity to close the points gap.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 1/51 NOR: 2’20.756 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engineer | Lando, tyre info. A lot of ‘hard ons’ today. Ahead of you, Verstappen, Russell, and Tsunoda. Behind you Hamilton, Bortoleto, Bearman, Hulkenberg, Gasly, Ocon. Everybody else is on medium. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Can you tell me again who ahead [is on hards]? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engineer | Yep, Verstappen, Russell and Tsunoda. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Will Joseph | The race starts And Safety Car deployed, Safety Car deployed, we are staying out. Lando the tyres might need quite a bit of work during this period. There’s going to be some barrier damage that will need fixing, so it might be a few laps. Oscar is in the wall, turn five. There is a recovery vehicle on track and all cars have been asked to stay left around turn five, stay left round turn five. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“We want you to use overtake”
McLaren told Norris to use his overtake assistance when the race restarted following the Safety Car period causing his team mate’s crash. However he failed to react quickly enough when the race resumed and Charles Leclerc pounced immediately, overtaking him for eighth place.
This was a further setback for Norris, who had already lost one place to Isack Hadjar at the start. Luckily for Norris, Hadjar ran wide at turn 16 at the end of the first lap after the restart, allowing the Ferrari and the McLaren to overtake him.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 3/51 NOR: 3’05.097 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | So Lando, can we have strat six please, strat six. At the restart we will have to use overtake, i.e. we want you to use overtake. There’s very light drops reported around turn 15 at the moment. So continue to keep left, continue to keep left, there’s a lot of people on-track. And Lando, Oscar’s incident was a lock-up. He had a lot of following [dirty air] but also be careful of white lines. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 4/51 NOR: 1’51.571 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | So, Lando, the marshals are leaving the track. It might be this lap. We need to avoid too much start-stop behaviour for the two-megajoule limit. The track has been set clear. Safety Car is in this lap. Safety Car’s in this lap. Think about brake balance. You’ve done and are doing a good job with tyres. A reminder that press and hold will be available. Safety Car is in turn 15. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Safety Car’s just in 16. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Safety Car in 18… 19… 20. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Safety Car in pit lane. The race restarts. Leclerc passes Norris at turn three. Hadjar then runs wide at turn 16 and Leclerc and Norris pass him | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 6/51 NOR: 1’47.023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando suggest strat 11, suggest strat 11. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I’m stuck in DRS at the moment”
Norris’s hopes of overtaking Leclerc briefly improved when the Ferrari fell out of DRS range of George Russell’s Mercedes ahead. But Russell passed Yuki Tsunoda on lap 10, and Leclerc quickly got within DRS range of the Red Bull, making it harder for Norris to pass.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 8/51 NOR: 1’47.244 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Maybe try overtake to stay within Leclerc’s DRS. Hamilton will not have DRS behind. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 9/51 NOR: 1’46.716 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando we suggest strat seven, strat seven. And obviously overtake still available. I’m sure you’ll see Tsunoda holding up this group of cars. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 11/51 NOR: 1’46.987 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, minor, how’s the pace? How’s the tyres? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Yeah, I think pace is okay, just dirty air, I’m stuck in DRS at the moment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 12/51 NOR: 1’46.778 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Hamilton does have DRS. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 13/51 NOR: 1’46.276 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Just a bit more [lift-and-coast] turn seven for rears. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 14/51 NOR: 1’46.270 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando your main consistent loss is turn 15 braking. You can use the left-hand toggle to protect front locking there. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
We could do a ‘box to overtake’ Leclerc
Now Ferrari put it to Norris that they could make an early pit stop in an attempt to pass Leclerc ahead of them. However the phrasing did not make it explicitly clear they wanted a response from Norris, and he did not immediately offer a view on the scenario they outlined.
Ahead, Leclerc was beginning to slip out of DRS range of Tsunoda. McLaren also told Norris they would be in a better position if he could pass the Ferrari.
McLaren were monitoring Norris’s position relative to Franco Colapinto in 13th. However the picture changed when Colapinto pitted, then was knocked into a spin by Alexander Albon.
Suddenly McLaren were alert to the possibility of a Safety Car deployment and warned Norris to be ready as he approached the pit lane entrance.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 16/51 NOR: 1’46.470 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, I’ve got a race update when you’re ready for it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Yep. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Okay so the gap to Colapinto is 16.4, there’s about three or four cars with him. Once we clear them we could do a box to overtake Leclerc but we’d have to come through people like Alonso and Bortoleto. We think by that point they won’t be in a DRS train. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 17/51 NOR: 1’46.440 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Leclerc might not get DRS again. If we can pass him it’s better. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Norris is at the exit of turn 16. Albon and Colapinto have collided. Lando, stand by, please stand by. Both Safety Car windows are open. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I need your feedback on what I said”
The Safety Car was not deployed. Norris passed the pit lane entrance.
Had he responded more quickly to McLaren’s question, they might have brought him in anyway. Instead Joseph had to prompt him for a response two laps after the original question.
Norris gave his reply on the run from turns 15 to 16. McLaren still had a small window of opportunity to call him in before he reached the pit lane entrance, but did not. On the next lap, Leclerc pitted, and Norris’s chance to ‘undercut’ him had gone.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 18/51 NOR: 1’46.387 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Possible debris on track, turn five, turn six. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando I need your feedback on what I said. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Approaching turn 15 Yeah, if there’s no DRS train, I’m happy. I think the pace is good, so if we have a chance to use it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 19/51 NOR: 1’46.018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Okay, understood. Try and stay close to Leclerc. The gap to Stroll is 19.0, Colapinto pitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Minor, purple C6 position 10, purple C6, position 10. Leclerc pits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Okay, focus on Tsunoda now”
The only option left for McLaren now was to keep Norris out as long as they could on his medium rubber and hope to make ground either if the Safety Car was deployed, or if not by attacking drivers with fresher rubber at the end of the race.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 20/51 NOR: 1’45.519 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | I can’t hear you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Okay, focus on Tsunoda now, we need to use this pace. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando currently thinking plan A plus 10, plan A, plus 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 21/51 NOR: 1’45.614 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And other medium runners are pitting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 22/51 NOR: 1’45.890 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | The loss in turn 16 was big tailwind at an entry. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 23/51 NOR: 1’45.885 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, that was a good lap on these tyres, keep that level of focus. So, an update for you, Antonelli has pitted, he’s in ninth, he is 16.2, then there’s Lawson, then Leclerc at 19.4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 25/51 NOR: 1’46.059 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando the tailwind at turn 16 is massive, we just have to back off the brake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 27/51 NOR: 1’45.419 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, race update for you. This is a bit like Monza, where we just look to extend. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 28/51 NOR: 1’45.392 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Slippery between five and seven. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Tsunoda has been told to pick up the pace”
Tsunoda’s lap times began to drop off as they approached two-thirds distance. McLaren did not miss their opportunity to undercut the Red Bull driver.
Unfortunately for Norris there was a delay changing his front-right wheel. Instead of coming out closer to Leclerc or even ahead of the Ferrari, he rejoined too far behind even to be within DRS range.
Red Bull responded by pitting Tsunoda who easily rejoined ahead of Norris.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 33/51 NOR: 1’45.482 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando, opportunity, turn five, turn six, line discipline. Tsunoda has been told to pick up the pace, he doesn’t have the gap to Lawson or Leclerc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 36/51 NOR: 1’45.171 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando if you could get closer to Tsunoda, we could think about the undercut. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 37/51 NOR: 1’48.087 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, Hamilton has pitted. If you came out behind Leclerc and Lawson who are in a DRS train with each other, would you get past them on 15-lap newer tyres? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | I mean, I’d have to give it a try now. It’s hard to say, but… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando thoughts on the front wing? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Just maybe up two. Up one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And box to overtake Tsunoda, box to overtake Tsunoda. The pit stop is slow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 38/51 NOR: 2’02.855 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Launch map, launch map. Strat six please, strat six please. Could be close to cars at turn one. Red A4, Red A4. Norris rejoins behind Leclerc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Tsunoda will pit. He’ll likely come ahead but could be close at exit. Overtake button. Tsunoda rejoins in front of Lawson (who passes him immediately), Leclerc and Norris | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“It’s a straight fight with the cars ahead”
Norris picked off Leclerc on lap 40 but had no such luck with Tsunoda. Joseph kept their communications to a minimum, focused on helping his driver optimise the use of his battery.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 39/51 NOR: 1’45.104 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Okay, so it’s a straight fight with the cars ahead. Suggest strat seven. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Push-and-hold available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 40/51 NOR: 1’45.047 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Strat 11 please, strat 11. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 41/51 NOR: 1’44.840 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Leclerc is 1.5, so all eyes ahead. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 42/51 NOR: 1’44.155 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And suggest strat seven, strat seven for the moment. Just be careful entry speed, turn 16. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 43/51 NOR: 1’45.047 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Push-and-hold available. Suggest strat 11, strat 11 and Hamilton the car behind. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 46/51 NOR: 1’44.904 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Hamilton will have DRS. Strat seven, strat seven, we’re losing too much in the middle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 47/51 NOR: 1’44.759 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Minor, purple C6 position 10. Purple C6, position 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 48/51 NOR: 1’44.770 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | [Unclear] the pack, which is low, we either need strat eight or anti-overtake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“One more lap”
As the final laps ticked down it became clear Norris was going to finish no higher than he started. He said nothing after taking the chequered flag and Joseph didn’t even bother to confirm his finishing position.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 50/51 NOR: 1’44.538 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | One more lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 51/51 NOR: 1’44.971 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Press-and-hold okay. Norris crosses the line in seventh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando we’re going to leave the recharge off, and white H11 position 13 please and maximum pick-up. And minor purple C6 position 11 purple C6 position 11. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, when you get to the pit entry, message from the FIA, just take caution, cars will be pitting the pit entry… sorry, queuing in the pit entry road. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The missed ‘undercut’
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Norris clearly favoured making an early pit stop to attack Leclerc and he might have got the chance to do so had he made his preference clear when Joseph put it to him on lap 16. When Leclerc came in on lap 19 he comfortably cleared Stroll.
McLaren still had the chance to do this in the small window between Norris confirming his preference and his last opportunity to pit before Leclerc came in. But the fact Joseph had to press him for a response showed they were cutting it fine.
As always, it must be acknowledged that it’s easy to second-guess strategy calls with the benefit of hindsight. It’s easy to see why McLaren, on lap 18 were eyeing the gap opening ahead of Tsunoda and thinking Norris could have a good race from there. It remained tantalisingly out of reach: even when Leclerc dropped out of DRS range he couldn’t pass the Ferrari and he wasn’t able to attack Tsunoda either.
But leaving aside the question of whether they got the call right there is the wider matter of whether McLaren are asking too much of their drivers by bringing them into strategy discussions mid-race. At other teams the call comes from the pit wall and the driver follows it. Trying to canvass the driver adds lag and on this occasion it may have compromised McLaren’s strategy.
>> Find out more and sign upGo ad-free for just £1 per month
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
- “That’s not what we discussed”: Ocon’s complaint about Haas’s team orders in Baku
- Verstappen has led more laps than Norris in 2025: Azerbaijan GP stats
- Why Mercedes saw no need to follow Russell’s request to let him past Antonelli
- Bortoleto reported Alonso’s jump start – but didn’t mention his manager’s name
- How Verstappen’s engineer had him laughing on his way to victory in Baku
