During Q3 of qualifying for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on 19 April 2025, Lando Norris lost control of his McLaren at the high-speed section between Turns 4, 5 and 6 after mounting a kerb and the car became unsettled, resulting in a heavy impact with the wall that ended his session early.
The crash caused enough damage that Norris could not complete his flying lap in Q3 and he was subsequently placed 10th on the grid for the race; immediately over team radio he called himself an “idiot” and later reiterated that he had taken an unnecessary risk.
Medical checks cleared Norris and he reported he was okay, but the incident was a setback for his championship challenge because it removed the opportunity to fight for a better starting position at a fast street circuit where track position is valuable.
One small strategic silver lining was that, by not taking a second Q3 run, Norris reportedly retained a fresh set of soft tyres for the race, though that did not compensate for the lost chance to secure a higher grid slot.
Published: 2025-11-10