Why was Lando Norris given a five second penalty in F1 US Grand Prix?
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Lando Norris received a five-second penalty on the last lap of the US Grand Prix, resulting in the McLaren driver missing out on a podium finish in Austin.
Norris, who had the top spot on the grid, fell to fourth place right after the start when his Formula 1 championship competitor Max Verstappen got in his way as they approached the first turn. As a result, Charles Leclerc, who ultimately won the race, took the lead.
McLaren driver Norris fell to fourth place but gained speed in the latter part of the race, outpacing Verstappen, who was in third.
However, Verstappen showcased impressive defensive skills multiple times during an exciting battle that unfolded over several laps between the two drivers, leading up to the contentious incident on lap 53.
As Norris approached turn 12 with DRS activated, it looked like he managed to edge in front of Verstappen. However, both drivers ended up going off track, crossing the racing line, and in the process, Norris claimed third place from Verstappen.
Verstappen was enraged, insisting through the team radio that Norris should return the position or face a penalty. Meanwhile, McLaren communicated to Norris that they believed he was "ahead at the apex," so they decided to keep their current standing.
With just one lap remaining, the FIA officials stepped in and issued a five-second penalty to Norris for going off the track and gaining an unfair advantage.
Norris finished 4.1 seconds ahead of Verstappen, allowing the Dutch driver to secure third place on the podium. This result increased his lead in the drivers' championship to 57 points with just five races left in the season.
Red Bull mistakenly thought that Norris had received a five-second penalty for going over the track limits too often. However, the British driver actually still had one opportunity left.
After the race, Norris commented: "I gave it my best shot. He went off the track too, and when he does that, he pushes too hard into the first turn at the beginning and gets an edge. But I'm not the one who makes the rules."
Max attempted to squeeze through a narrow opening. From the perspective inside the car, it's sometimes simpler and sometimes more challenging to assess the situation. Max definitely made a significant move there. I'm not sure; I'll have to review it later. He ended up passing someone by going off the track at the beginning.
"He makes moves off the track and passes competitors off the track as well. Max drove impressively, and we had a solid race - the rules are clear."
"We ultimately reached our anticipated position, and while I would have preferred to finish in third, we still couldn’t match the speed of the Ferraris. That’s how it goes. We need to find a significant improvement compared to Ferrari."
Right after the race, Verstappen expressed, “It was a challenging fight, and finishing on the podium is a solid outcome. I have my thoughts on the situation, but I don't feel the need to share them here. I'll leave it to the stewards to handle it.”
McLaren team leader Andrea Stella, on the other hand, argued that the stewards acted inappropriately by intervening in the situation.
He told Sky Sports F1, "The way the officials disrupted an amazing display of motorsport was not right."
"It cost us a chance for a podium finish. We remained composed, but were squeezed out in the first corner. Decisions like these from the stewards cannot be contested, so now we focus on the upcoming race."
"We confirmed that both cars left the track, leaving no question that the maneuver was executed properly."
This means that Verstappen, with his victory in the sprint race on Saturday, has increased his championship lead over Norris from 52 to 57 points as they head into the Mexican Grand Prix next Sunday.
