McLaren fume at ‘inappropriate’ F1 bosses after Norris vs Verstappen battle
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McLaren has strongly criticized Formula 1 officials for what they see as "unacceptable" meddling in the exciting competition between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen during the US Grand Prix, which ended up costing their driver a spot on the podium.
As the competition for the F1 Drivers' Championship heats up, Norris, who came to Austin 52 points behind Verstappen in the season rankings, found himself battling his rival for third place in the closing laps of a race that saw Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finish first and second.
Norris believed he had secured his position with just four laps to go when he overtook Verstappen at Turn 12. However, on the last lap, race officials imposed a five-second penalty on him, concluding that he gained an unfair advantage by going off the track during the maneuver. As a result, he ended up in fourth place, finishing behind Verstappen once the race concluded.
The four-man stewarding panel clarified their decision by stating that Norris gave up his “right” to the corner since he wasn’t side by side with Verstappen at the point of contact. They did, however, recognize that Norris had no real option but to go off the track, as Verstappen also went beyond the white lines.
This outcome leaves Norris trailing the Dutch driver by 57 points as he leaves Texas. With just 146 points up for grabs over the final five races, McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, expressed his dissatisfaction with the stewards' involvement in the competition.
"I believe the stewards' actions disrupted an impressive display of motorsport in an unsuitable manner. Since both cars left the track, they both benefited from the situation," Stella expressed to Sky Sports. "It's unfortunate because it ultimately cost us a spot on the podium."
“We lost a race because we kept our cool after being shoved off the track on the first lap at the first turn. We took it in stride and made our stance clear; decisions made by the stewards can't be challenged. For us, that's behind us now, and we’re focused on the next race.”
Norris began the race at the front of the grid at the Circuit of the Americas but fell to fourth place after a shaky start at the first turn. From that point on, he was unable to contend for the victory.
Finishing in front of his championship competitor Verstappen and narrowing the gap in the overall standings would have offered some comfort. However, the British driver was ultimately unsuccessful and found himself at odds with the stewards' ruling.
When asked if he comprehended the verdict, Norris responded, "Not really. The issue lies in what Max did—he defended his position by going off the track while maintaining his spot."
"He went off the track because he was overly protective and ended up making an error, but he's learned from it. I had to veer off to steer clear of him. When it comes to Max, you have to be all in; there's no room for hesitation, and many people don't grasp that."
"I can't say for sure if I would have remained on course if that hadn't happened. Consequently, it's not feasible to manage situations like that. Decisions are made too hastily, and they don't take the time to listen to or comprehend our concerns, which they should do after the race. They simply want to reach a decision on the spot."
"You can't challenge this type of penalty, which seems ridiculous since they're just making assumptions. I really don't believe that's the right approach to officiating."
Naturally, Verstappen disagreed with what Norris said.
The Dutch driver commented, “It's evident that you can't pass someone beyond the white lines. I experienced this in 2017 during this race, and I received a penalty, which cost me a spot on the podium.”
Next weekend, the Formula 1 teams will be making their way to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the Mexican Grand Prix.
