P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Norris disqualification feared after urgent McLaren message
Lando Norris’s race engineer, Will Joseph, had a sudden fear that his driver might face disqualification at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Norris was aiming for championship victory, holding a 12-point advantage over Max Verstappen entering the race, knowing a podium finish would secure his world champion title. Qualifying was crucial for Norris, Verstappen, and fellow contender Oscar Piastri. During qualifying, an incident made Joseph fear Norris missed the weigh bridge, potentially resulting in disqualification and a pit lane start for Sunday’s race. Fortunately, it turned out Norris hadn’t missed the weigh bridge call, avoiding any penalties and allowing the starting grid to remain unchanged. The weighing of drivers during sessions is essential to prevent tampering with car weights, ensuring fair competition in Formula 1 races where even minor differences can impact performance significantly. Additionally, stringent checks are performed on cars post-race to maintain integrity and fairness in the sport.
