Lando Norris walked away from a terrifying 185mph crash in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix.
The British driver, 21, lost control of his McLaren through the fearsome Eau Rouge in the wet conditions, slamming into the wall and pirouetting four and a half times before coming to a standstill.
Norris wrote off the back of his McLaren in the accident, with the front-right wheel also torn away from his car.
RED FLAG: Lando Norris is into the barriers - and Q3 is halted
Lando tells McLaren over the radio that his ok #BelgianGP 🇧🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/u1mbNytWiF— Formula 1 (@F1) August 28, 2021
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The television pictures immediately cut away from the crash and to Norris’ McLaren garage where his visibly concerned colleagues stood with hands on their heads.
But mercifully, a clearly winded Norris reported to his race engineer, Will Joseph that he was unharmed with the running red-flagged.
He emerged unassisted from his wrecked cockpit, albeit holding his lower left arm as he was taken away in the medical car and underwent checks at the on-track medical centre.
Norris was among the frontrunners to secure pole position after finishing fastest in both Q1 and Q2.
But his accident came just moments after four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel demanded over his Aston Martin radio that the rain-hit Q3 session should be stopped because the track was not fit to drive.
Oh no. Unfortunately it’s Lando off at Eau Rouge bringing out a red flag. 🚩
Lando confirms he is okay over the radio. #BelgianGP 🇧🇪— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 28, 2021
Vettel was the next driver behind Norris on track.
“What the f*** did I say?” he yelled over the radio when he was informed of the accident. “What did I say? Red flag. It is unnecessary. Is he OK?”
Vettel pulled alongside Norris’ wreckage, giving his fellow driver the thumbs up to check on his condition before driving away.
French Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert was killed at the same corner two years ago, while two drivers were hospitalised following a six-car pile-up in Friday’s W Series qualifying session at Eau Rouge.
