In a qualifying session filled with chaos at Spa-Francorchamps, Lando Norris suffered arguably the worst crash of the weekend so far. During an attempt to set a lap time in Q3, the Briton crashed heavily after losing control of his McLaren at Raidillon, sending him spinning violently after colliding with the barriers.
While the session saw 10 drivers on the track, others remained track side to analyse their Saturday performance. Among them were Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso, who saw the incident while addressing the media.
Carlos Sainz immediately shows concern for former teammate Lando Norris
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Sainz was Norris’ first teammate in F1. During two seasons, they shared a warm and healthy relationship which the fans enjoyed throughout. Although Sainz races for Ferrari, McLaren’s biggest competitors this year, they still share the same dynamic relationship. The Monaco Grand Prix a few months back witnessed this, when they shared hilarious moments after the race and on the podium.
While Norris took to the track in Q3, Sainz fielded questions after missing out by a second. As he responded to questions in Spanish, he saw Norris spinning on a nearby monitor. This made him take up silence, as his eyes widened in concern for his former teammate.
.@Carlossainz55 immediately concerned for @LandoNorris mid interview seeing the crash Live. #F1 #BelgianGP
— FormulaNerds (@FormulaNerds) August 28, 2021
While waiting for Norris to get out of the car, Sainz also questioned the corner at which the crash happened, which was the Eau Rouge-Raidillon duet. After seeing him get out of the car, the Spaniard continued his interview.
READ MORE: Why did Ferrari Sign Carlos Sainz?
Fernando Alonso thinks the red flag should have come before the crash
Meanwhile, Alonso only managed to qualify 14th in treacherous conditions at Spa. However, his teammate Esteban Ocon took part in Q3 as he made the cut with the narrowest of margins.
During his post-qualifying interview, Alonso spoke about how the conditions could help his race tomorrow. However, he immediately stopped talking and looked at Norris’ crash when it happened.
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When asked whether the red flag should have come earlier, the 40-year-old responded by saying, “Probably.”
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After the crash, Norris exited his damaged McLaren clutching his elbow. However, hours later, his team confirmed he is medically cleared to race today. The Briton will start from 10th on the grid since he couldn’t set a lap time in Q3.
WATCH STORY: 5 F1 Crashes Which Stunned the World