Norris has a 'big job' to turn fortunes around in Jeddah
Formula One title favourite Lando Norris conceded he has a "big job" and is not "expecting anything magical" when he starts the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from 10th on the grid.
The drivers' championship leader lost control at Turn Four during qualifying in Jeddah, with his McLaren spinning into the wall at Turn Five.
Norris' frustration in the aftermath of the accident was evident, as he described himself as an "idiot" over the team radio.
That saw Norris, who leads Oscar Piastri by just five points, slide down the grid to dent his chances of remaining at the summit of the drivers' standings by the conclusion of the weekend.
Max Verstappen will start on pole ahead of Piastri.
"It's almost impossible to overtake around here, so I'm not expecting anything magical," Norris said.
"We have a strong car, but clearly not as good as we would like because Max is on pole and George is only 0.1 seconds behind, so it's not like things are plain sailing at the minute.
An early exit in qualifying for Lando means a fight back in the race tomorrow
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2025
The championship leader was OK and walked back into the paddock - he'll start from P10 #F1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/mXDokQRemr
"[I've got] a big job to try and do. If we can work our way up to the top five, six, I will say I'll be happy. I should be fighting for pole and, especially on a Q1 lap, not taking any silly risks like I seem to have done.
"It would have been nice to be in that fight. I was doing well until then and feeling comfortable. I shunted, so I am not going to be proud, I'm not going to be happy, I've let myself and the team down, and the guys have a big job to do to fix it."
Piastri narrowly missed out on his third pole of the season, but is still in contention to add to his triumphs in Shanghai and Bahrain.
"There wasn't much more left in it, so happy with the lap I did," he said. "The last lap felt like more or less the best I could have done. Max did a good job at another high-speed circuit, where they seem to do well.
"It's tough around here, once you fall out of rhythm, it is hard to get back into it. It's a difficult track for sure, but at night, soft tyres, high grip – it is one of the best tracks we go to."