Norris: That's the price one sometimes has to pay.

      Both McLaren drivers can be considered unlucky in qualifying in Baku, since neither managed to avoid trouble, but Lando Norris was still luckier — his car remained intact. Oscar Piastri, however, made a rare mistake in the final session that ended in a crash at Turn 3.

      Lando Norris (7th): "I don't think we could have been in contention for pole. I clipped the wall in Turn 15, but I don't know to what extent that affected the result. I haven't seen the telemetry, so I don't yet know how much time I lost there. Maybe a couple of tenths, which is two positions, but certainly not more than a second relative to Max.

      I think I made a mistake myself when I decided to be the first out of the pits onto the pit lane. That decision might not have been a mistake — if yellow or red flags had come out behind me, then we would have been the heroes and everyone else the unlucky ones. But right now I'm the unlucky one and the rivals are the heroes, and that's the price you sometimes have to pay at this track, because you have to take risks here.

      In any case I'm upset: I think everyone who went out behind me had much better grip. And it's all because we made a decision that ultimately didn't work. But we'll analyse everything and next time we'll try to do better."

      Oscar Piastri (9th): "I think I just braked a little later than I should have. I haven't seen any data yet, but what happened is usually what happens when you lock the brakes. Of course I'm upset.

      It felt like the car was making a good impression, so it's a shame it ended like that. I got through the first two corners quite well, but I don't even know what happened after: whether I overdid it myself or whether it was because of the rain.

      Already on the out-lap from the pits I felt that it was difficult to get through some corners, although I can't say for sure whether the third was one of them. In any case I need to figure everything out, though I think I overdid it a bit, and had to pay the price for that.

      We'll see what we can do tomorrow, but I think claiming victory would be too ambitious. Moving up to higher positions is certainly within our reach, that's for sure. The car has been quick all weekend, and I hope we can use that to make progress."