Lando Norris concedes ‘misjudgement’ to blame in Lewis Hamilton collision
McLaren driver Lando Norris in his Triple Crown MCL60 livery in Barcelona. Spain June 2023.
Lando Norris has admitted his contact with Lewis Hamilton at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix came as a result of “misjudgement” on his part.
Norris had been overtaken by Hamilton heading into Turn 1 at the start of the race, with the British pair having shared the second row in Barcelona on Sunday.
But Norris had not anticipated the closing speed he would face heading into Turn 2, leading him to tag the rear of Hamilton’s Mercedes and damaging his front wing in the process.
This forced the McLaren driver into the pits for a change of wing, relegating him to the rear of the field – and his day did not improve much from there.
He was unable to climb his way back up into the points after an impressive qualifying showing on Saturday, but Norris admitted after that session that he would try to “hang on for dear life” to his lofty placing anyway.
Regarding his contact with Hamilton, he felt it was simply a case of bad luck on the first lap.
“I didn’t see that the Red Bull went off ahead of me, and because of that I thought there would be normal pace around him too and everyone just checked up massively,” Norris explained to Sky Sports F1.
“So, just unlucky in my opinion. Maybe I’m wrong, but just misjudgement from my part because I couldn’t see the car ahead that had gone off, so unlucky, I think.
PlanetF1.com recommends
Lewis Hamilton reveals major new development in Mercedes contract talks
A renewed Hamilton v Verstappen rivalry may not be a million miles away
“But at the same time, we wouldn’t have had the pace to finish in the points anyway. Difficult afternoon, but as expected – P3 made us look amazing yesterday and we weren’t confident in finishing in the points.
“I guess you always say ‘I could have done this, could have done that’ but, at the time, I tried to get across, I still had some slipstream from the car ahead.
“At the same time, everyone went right, so maybe didn’t get the best of launches. Not too many excuses, to be honest.
“Just maybe could have fought Lewis more on Turn 1, but at the same time, he was pretty committed, and I probably would have ended up off the track – maybe would have been a safer option just to commit to going off – but like I said, I think just a bit unlucky.
“So nothing more than that. It just happens, but it didn’t change our day.”
