Lando Norris: “I agree” with “f****** idiot” radio rant in Saudi Arabia

Lando Norris chose not to backtrack after calling himself a “f****** idiot” in qualifying for the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver and the leader of the F1 drivers’ championship must start Sunday’s race from 10th on the grid.

An unexpected crash in qualifying, on his first flying lap of Q3 at Turn 5, caused Norris’ harsh description of himself via team radio.

Title rivals Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri, his teammate, line up on the front row in Jeddah.

Lando Norris quizzed about radio rant in Saudi Arabia

“Makes sense,” Norris told Motorsport afterwards about his “f***** idiot” outburst.

“Yeah, I mean, I agree with it.

“I should be fighting for pole and especially on a [first flying] lap, I shouldn't be taking any silly risks like I seem to have done.

“I need to go and review it all. Not a guarantee we would have been on pole, because Max looks like he did a good job.

“Red Bull were quick the whole of qualifying, it wasn't a surprise. So, it would have been nice just to be in that fight.

“I was doing well until then and feeling comfortable.

“But I mean, it makes sense, I shunted, you know…

“I'm not going to be proud, I'm not going to be happy. I've let myself down, I've let the team down and the guys have got a big job to do now to fix it all.

“It's the way it is. I agree with what I said, but I still look forward to [Sunday] and have to try and make up for today.”

Norris leads McLaren teammate Piastri by three points in the drivers’ standings, with Verstappen a further five behind second-place.

But Norris entered Saudi Arabia surrounded by questions about whether Piastri was tackling their MCL39 more comfortably, after he won the Bahrain Grand Prix a week ago.

His error in qualifying will have done nothing for his confidence in handling the McLaren, especially with Piastri nine places ahead of him on the starting grid.

His brutal description of himself is the latest in a long line of downbeat self-assessments, which Martin Brundle has previously suggested could provide ammunition to his rivals.