Debate | Once again Norris costs McLaren dearly: He's the wrong driver for the team

McLaren had flaunted his pace throughout all three practice sessions of the race weekend in Saudi Arabia, which Red Bull Racing's chief advisor, Helmut Marko, labeled as bluffing, given the difference dissapeared as the teams and drivers reached the Q2 part of qualifying.

As Q3 started Norris started his push lap shortly after teammate Piastri. As the Australian headed to Sector 3, double yellows were waved in the first Sector. The broadcast of the session then revealed Norris' stricken McLaren parked in the wall on the outside of the entry into Turn 5.

McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella, said to media including GPblog, that Norris was not to blame for the crash. He instead pointed to McLaren's development work, which did indeed made the McLaren car faster, but it also robbed Norris of the required predictability to push the car to its maximum extent. The kerb outside of Turn 4 also received a notable mention by the Italian.

At the end of the session pole position was decided in favour of Max Verstappen by the most minimal of margins: 0.010s. Given Norris had the edge on teammate Piastri throughout the weekend, it's GPblog's take that Norris' Q3 crash cost McLaren pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.