On lap 35 of the Qatar Grand Prix, Formula One Management broadcast a message from Lando Norris which revealed just how difficult an evening he was enduring.
After being prompted by race engineer Will Joseph to alter his approach to turn seven, Norris replied: “I’m trying. I need more help, then, because I can’t do it.”
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McLaren were trying to wring every last tenth of a second out of their cars after failing to pit during an early Safety Car period, which left them vulnerable to Max Verstappen.
Norris was having particular difficulty in turn seven: not one of the fastest corners around the quick Losail circuit, but a third-gear right-hander similar in profile to the first and last corners. Joseph gave Norris regular guidance on how to tackle the corner where Norris was finding it difficult to raise his minimum cornering speed compared to team mate Oscar Piastri.
Soon after Norris’s exasperated message about turn seven he made a mistake at the exit of turn 14. The time lost there and in the following laps delayed his pursuit of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Carlos Sainz Jnr in the final stint, ending his chances of salvaging a podium finish on a difficult day.
Selected Norris radio messages from Qatar Grand Prix
Jump to:
“Has everyone boxed?”
“Reduce peak pressure like we talked about”
“Main opportunity is turn seven”
“I can’t do it”
“I went off”
“Too difficult to follow”
“Has everyone boxed?”
Norris raised more questions than Piastri over the team’s decision not to pit during the Safety Car period on lap seven. He queried why they did not follow Verstappen in as Red Bull took the opportunity to minimise their time loss by completing their first pit stop while the Safety Car was out.
Joseph used the opportunity of the break to give Norris more feedback on his performance, telling him to spend less time ‘coasting’ in three corners including turn seven.
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| Lap: 7/57 NOR: 1’40.154 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Safety Car deployed, Safety Car deployed. ACS button press, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | What are we doing? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Tyres are fine. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | We’re staying out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 8/57 NOR: 2’25.116 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Yeah, has everyone boxed? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Almost everyone, yeah. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | We should have just followed him in, no? If you knew the car ahead was staying out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | They have lost all their flexibility for the remainder of the race. We suggest going to strat five in preparation for the restart. Strat five. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | How much of he still, is Oscar still lifting in high speeds? I decided to push it a little bit more, but what are the places to focus on now? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Oscar’s still lifting two to two-and-a-half tenths from 12 to 14. But we’re saving more in four and five, to about one-and-a-half tenths. Places to focus are trying to minimise coast at places like turn one. And still debris and recovery vehicle on track. So yeah, it’s minimising coast in one, seven, 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 9/57 NOR: 2’21.108 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Coast on entry or mid-corner? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Late entry to mid-corner. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | So Lando, the goal here now is really good pace to lap 25. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | AndLando, basically everyone else will be stopping on lap 32, we know that now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 10/57 NOR: 2’19.394 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Just focus on the front-right where you can. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Reduce peak pressure like we talked about”
Many drivers picked up track limits ‘strikes’ for running too wide on the entry to turn 10 and Norris was no exception.
But turn seven remained his greatest problem area and Joseph’s messages show they discussed this before the race. Over the first stint he lost up to half a second per lap compared to Piastri.
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| Lap: 12/57 NOR: 1’25.615 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Pace is strong. Just be careful turn 10 entry. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, we’ve had our first strike for track limits, that was turn 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 14/57 NOR: 1’25.843 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Opportunity turn seven. Reduce peak pressure like we talked about. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Minor. Purple C2 position 10. Purple C2 position 10. Both Safety Car windows are open. Please confirm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 15/57 NOR: 1’25.786 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Confirm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | At this pace we’re clearing Safety Car windows very quickly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando, correction, it’s full Safety Car window only, full Safety Car window only. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 16/57 NOR: 1’25.940 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Confirmed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 18/57 NOR: 1’25.935 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Opportunity turn seven, back off your brake, peak less. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 20/57 NOR: 1’25.903 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando main opportunities are throttle pick-up in places like turn seven, turn 16. Try and rotate better in phase three. Reduce the pace in high speed, will help the rear-left. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 21/57 NOR: 1’25.853 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando and the places we’re doing well are turn six, turn two and high speed. The opportunities are turn one, turn seven, turn 16. In those corners, it’s throttle pick-up for the exit bias. The last lap was good for that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 22/57 NOR: 1’26.161 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | We’re still on plan A, target lap. The gap to Alonso and P6 is 21. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Main opportunity is turn seven”
When Norris made his first pit stop, taking a second set of soft tyres, he turned down the opportunity to increase his front wing angle, which Joseph suggested. Soon after he began his second stint Joseph reminded him to concentrate on gaining time at turn seven.
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| Lap: 23/57 NOR: 1’25.953 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando, for the next tyre we come down one, happy? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Yeah, I think so. I’m just struggling. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, last two laps, risky turn 10 entry. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, I know you’re giving it all, we need our best pace for two more laps. Main opportunity is turn seven. Exit bias. Less coast. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 24/57 NOR: 1’25.970 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Suggest strat five, strat five, and we will be boxing this lap, box this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 25/57 NOR: 1’30.084 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, we’re going to fit the medium tyre. Lando, do you want more front wing for the medium? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | No. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 27/57 NOR: 1’25.304 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando you need earlier braking than that in turn seven. Focus on throttle pick-up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 28/57 NOR: 1’25.065 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando the right-hand paddle could help some of those corrections in turn seven. The tailwind isn’t helping, though. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 30/57 NOR: 1’25.167 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando, happy to do less management now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, we’ve had our second strike track limits, turn 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I can’t do it”
Norris began to produce the changes McLaren wanted to see in turn seven, but couldn’t sustain them. When Joseph pointed that out, Norris told him he needed more help – a message which was played on the world feed.
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| Lap: 31/57 NOR: 1’25.786 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando in turn seven, let’s try earlier pick-up, less [unclear], so that’s more progressive throttle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 32/57 NOR: 1’26.505 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando that throttle shape in turn seven was better. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 33/57 NOR: 1’24.607 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And suggest silver D4. Silver D4. This is the bit of a race where we need to be quicker than Max. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 34/57 NOR: 1’24.704 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando both Safety Car windows are open. Please confirm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Confirm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 35/57 NOR: 1’24.631 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, a reminder on turn seven through shape. You’ve gone back to what you were doing before. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | I’m trying, I just… I need more help, then, because I can’t do it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I went off”
Soon afterwards McLaren had a new problem with Norris. He went off at turn 10, damaging his car, losing around 1.1 seconds. His lap times from this point on were around 0.3s slower, giving him a total loss of around four seconds, indicating that without his mistake he could have stayed ahead of Antonelli when he made his second pit stop.
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| Lap: 37/57 NOR: 1’24.981 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Check the car. Could be pretty damaged, I went off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | So Lando, we’re seeing very hot carcass temperatures, 130 in the high-speed. So we need to give up a little bit in high-speed to help at the low speed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 39/57 NOR: 1’24.894 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando the gap to Sainz who’s in P4 is 22.5, Antonelli is 26.5. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Lando our main consistent opportunity is turn one. If the right-back toggle will help confidence there, then suggest using it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 43/57 NOR: 1’24.821 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando, do you think you could pass Antonelli now? He’s on 10-lap older hard tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | What lap time is he doing? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | 24.4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Difficult. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And Verstappen with DRS. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 44/57 NOR: 1’29.254 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | And we’re box this lap, please, box this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 46/57 NOR: 1’23.633 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | I’m happy to push on these tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Too difficult to follow”
Instead Norris came out behind the Mercedes and struggled to attack it on the straights. Joseph reminded him to “push and hold” his overtake button.
Eventually Antonelli made a mistake at turn 10 and Norris claimed fourth. But he wasn’t able to catch Sainz’s damaged Williams in order to claim the final podium position.
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| Lap: 49/57 NOR: 1’23.674 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Press and hold overtake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 52/57 NOR: 1’24.141 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Press and hold and don’t cancel it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norris | Yeah I’m just, I’m not close enough, I can’t. Too difficult to follow. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Sainz ahead has floor damage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 53/57 NOR: 1’23.983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Lando suggest trying push-and-hold out of turn 10 to get closer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 54/57 NOR: 1’24.073 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | There’s four laps to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Suggest strat 13, 13. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 55/57 NOR: 1’23.915 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Use the battery. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 56/57 NOR: 1’23.925 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Hadjar has a puncture, he’s in turn eight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | Hadjar is slow in 14. Hadjar right ahead of you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | This is the last lap. There’s debris on the right-hand side at the end of the start-finish straight | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joseph | ACS button press. Leave recharge off and white H11 position 13. White H11 position 13 and pick up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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