Lando Norris expressed his frustration with Formula 1‘s red flag tire change regulations following a disappointing performance in the Brazilian Grand Prix, which has effectively dashed his hopes of winning the championship this season.
The McLaren driver started strong, running in second place during the early laps of the race. However, after pitting amid worsening weather conditions, the situation shifted dramatically. Franco Colapinto’s heavy crash prompted officials to deploy the Safety Car, soon followed by a red flag. This interruption allowed championship leader Max Verstappen and other drivers, including the Alpine duo, to switch to fresh tires without the penalty of a pit stop.
Reflecting on the impact of the red flag on his race, Norris stated, “You can change your tires under the red flag, and that’s what the others did. It’s just unlucky and unfortunate. Sometimes it just goes your way.” He emphasized that the strategic decisions made by his team were sound, insisting, “So there’s nothing we did wrong… Staying out was not the right thing to do.”
Norris criticized the decision to red flag the race, attributing the outcome to a mix of chance rather than skill. “It shouldn’t have been red-flagged, but obviously there was the crash that caused it,” he said. “It’s just life sometimes. You take a gamble, and it’s paid off for them. It’s not talent; it’s just luck. Just a bit unlucky.”
After the red flag, Norris resumed the race in fourth place but ultimately finished sixth, falling behind George Russell and Charles Leclerc. Verstappen secured the victory, with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly rounding out the podium.
“I still made a couple of mistakes,” Norris admitted. “I locked the rears, went off, and lost two positions. A little bit unfortunate there, but just my own fault. So not a perfect race for me. Fourth was the best anyone could do today among those who boxed and didn’t get lucky. But we’ll just keep our heads down.”
Additionally, Norris is under investigation for a potential infringement at the start of the race. He led the field during a second formation lap after officials aborted the initial start, without receiving a signal to do so. The outcome of this investigation may further complicate his season as he looks to bounce back in the remaining races.
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