SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Lando Norris was involved in a ferocious crash in treacherous wet conditions during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.
The Briton lost control of his McLaren, his car spinning multiple times from one side of the track to the other after the rear end hit the barriers at Eau Rouge.
The only one of his four tyres intact was the front left.
Sebastian Vettel, who had called for the Q3 session to be stopped a little while earlier, drove up in his Aston Martin to make sure the 21-year-old was okay. The German,a four-time former world champion, only drove on when he got a thumbs up.
Norris’ team came over the radio asking “Lando, are you okay, are you okay?” with the shaken, but seemingly unharmed, driver replying “Yes, Sorry boys we should have had a good one. I’ve let you down.”
The medics then helped him gingerly out of his cockpit.
The session was red-flagged as stewards hurried to clear the debris from the stricken McLaren off the track. Norris’ mechanics were set for a long night getting it roadworthy in time for Sunday’s race.
A McLaren statement on Twitter reported: “Lando is currently undergoing checks at the trackside medical centre.”
Norris, third in the drivers championship, had led qualifying through the first two sessions held as the rain beat down on the majestic but notoriously demanding Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the Ardennes Forest.
He was in a great position to claim his first ever pole and end up at the front of Sunday’s grid, instead he ended up in the medical centre.
After a 40 minute stoppage the session got back underway with 8.59 minutes of Q1 left on the clock. – AFP
