McLaren in talks with FIA over ‘bitter’ Baku yellow flag

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed his team is in talks with the FIA over an "extremely costly" yellow flag that was deployed during qualifying in Baku.

Lando Norris failed to improve on his final lap in Q1 and ended the session in 17th place, ensuring he will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix towards the back of the grid.

Norris stated after the session that he had to back off due to the yellow flag in the final sector, with replays showing he also mounted the kerb on the exit of Turn 16.

Stella confirmed it is seeking clarification the flag was seemingly deployed for a slow-moving car off the racing line - rather than for a competitor who had made an error. In contrast, Norris' team-mate Oscar Piastri starts from second.

“The bitter element is that the other car [Norris] is at the back of the grid tomorrow, and we will try and do our best to get back in the points and minimise the impact,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.

“But obviously that was a very unfortunate qualifying for Lando today.

“We are discussing now with the FIA as to why a yellow flag was displayed at that moment in time, which was extremely, extremely costly in the economy of this weekend.

“We will try and recover tomorrow.”

Norris' early exit from the session occurred as he attempts to overturn a 62-point margin to Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship.

There was initial confusion regarding whether or not the LED panel had displayed a yellow or white flag - however Stella confirmed it was the former.

“The team didn't say it [to Norris] because it was displayed last minute, and we checked right now in our tools, and it is actually displayed as a yellow,” he said.

“So we were in conversation with the FIA as to why that happened, because the yellow flag isn't necessary when there's a car that’s off-line, going [slowly].

“Everyone tries their best. This time, it was a situation which, ideally, and I think, by the regulation, shouldn't have happened. We paid the price.”