Lando Norris hit with deleted lap FIA ruling at Australian Grand Prix

Lando Norris was slammed with a deleted lap time during F1 qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix, with the FIA confirming the infringement in an official announcement.

McLaren solidified their status at the front of the pack in Melbourne, with the reigning Formula 1 constructors’ champions locking out the front row on the grid for Sunday’s race.

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Whilst Oscar Piastri initially sent the crowd wild with the fastest lap of the session at the end of Q3, Lando Norris had an extra 0.084 seconds in his pocket to steal pole position off the Melbourne-born racer.

However, Norris and McLaren’s pole position looked under threat from Max Verstappen, who earlier in the week downplayed Red Bull’s chances, but the Dutchman eventually placed P3 on the grid.

Norris has lap time deleted in Australia

However, prior to Norris’ pole position lap, the British driver's qualifying was in jeopardy when he had his initial lap time in Q3 deleted, which was confirmed in an official announcement by the FIA.

Norris’ lap time of 1:15.921 was removed after he failed to use the track at Turn 4, with the likes of Gabriel Bortoleto and Esteban Ocon who also lost their lap times at that corner during various points of the session.

This lap was not Norris’ pole position lap, and his place at the front of the grid for Sunday’s race remained intact, but may have a challenge holding onto his lead for the first grand prix of the year.

The Australian GP is expected to be hit with rain, in what could be F1’s first wet race in the country since 2010, and with Verstappen’s spectacular Brazilian GP victory in the wet still lingering in everyone’s mind, could be a difficult win to defend for McLaren.

READ MORE: Bearman causes ANOTHER red flag in Australian GP nightmare

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