Lando Norris takes jab at Jolyon Palmer's 'luck' comments as he reacts to Dutch GP qualifying

Lando Norris will start the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix from second behind his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri on pole

Lando Norris took a sly jab at former Formula 1 driver and F1 TV presenter Jolyon Palmer's recent 'luck' comments, as he reacted to securing second place on the grid for the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix.

"It’s close, it’s been close the whole weekend, so easily could go one way or the other. I guess a little bit disappointed that I’m not on pole, but it's close. Were still some decent laps, so not the end of the world either," Norris explained to Palmer after qualifying.

Palmer claimed during a summer break episode of the F1 Nation podcast that luck had brought Norris closer to his McLaren team-mate and championship leader in the drivers' standings.

"With the wind like this, a lot of it’s down to luck as well. Even with all the luck I’ve been having," Norris added, with a smile as he couldn't resist a little jab.

"It’s tough. I had a good lap, Q3, run one, but just a small headwind down the straight, and I lost like one hundredth, so you could easily say it’s there.

"But I’m in a good position. We’re in a good fight. Oscar’s been driving well all weekend, we’ve been driving well all season, so we’ll have some fun tomorrow."

He added: "We both had terrible starts last year, so we’ll see. I don’t think the inside is a lot better but it’s a long race, a lot of laps, and we’ll see what the weather holds for us too."

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Mark Thompson - Getty Images

What did Jolyon Palmer say about Lando Norris's luck?

"I've not switched off over the summer break this year," he told Tom Clarkson. "I've been just poring through data and numbers. I'm not in my racing driver era now. I'm going to be washed by the time we get to Qatar. I'm going to have no energy. I didn't recharge the batteries.

"But what I've been thinking is Piastri's been the better driver. And we're talking about the fine margins: nine points, Lando winning three of the last four.

"But on pretty much all stats and viewing, Piastri has been the better driver so far. And I looked through and I think that championship lead is nine points - could easily be 61 points but for largely a bit of luck."

He added: "So I'm thinking there's 16 points lost in Melbourne. Both McLarens go skittling off through the gravel. Oscar's is slightly more than Lando's, but really these, you know, you can't judge this. And it cost Oscar on the day 16 points.

"I'm thinking Silverstone: tough decision that I've not seen penalised since or before and it cost Oscar the win.

"Imola, the timing of the safety car: really tough decision and it's just a bit of bad luck. It cost him at the time only six points in terms of a swing. And then you've got Budapest. A great win for Lando. Absorbed the pressure, did what he had to do, but he did it because he had a bad start, was in the wrong position, and then sort of got into the right strategy that Oscar wasn't given.

"When you look at all those points lost, even the two points in the Miami sprint, whereas safety car timing cost Oscar the win and gave it to Lando, there's been a lot of things that have just gone towards Lando in these first 14 races.

"Oscar's overall outqualified him by a slender margin and I think he's outraced him and the gap could be so much more comfortable, but as it is, it's nine and it's absolutely on for anyone."