Lando Norris: McLaren driver’s controversial penalty for Max Verstappen pass at United States GP analysed

All you need to know about the controversial pass on Max Verstappen that Lando Norris was penalised for at the United States Grand Prix.

What happened between Norris and Verstappen?

Having started together on the front row, Verstappen and Norris ended up in a thrilling battle for third behind the Ferrari one-two of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Verstappen aggressively went down the inside of pole-sitter Norris into Turn One on the first lap to get ahead of his title rival, so the McLaren driver went long in the first stint to have fresher tyres for the final 25 laps.

Norris was chasing down Verstappen and got DRS with 13 laps to go. For the next 10 laps, the pair had a superb battle as Verstappen held off his rival before Norris eventually overtook him on Lap 52 at Turn 12, albeit off the track.

The title protagonists went side by side into the tight corner, with Verstappen on the inside and Norris on the outside, with little to separate them at the exit. Verstappen also went off the track in his defence as he lost the position.

On the last lap of the race, the stewards announced Norris had a five-second time penalty for “leaving the track and gaining an advantage”.

Norris crossed the line 4.1 seconds ahead of Verstappen, so dropped behind the reigning world champion in the final classification.

The result meant Verstappen was on the podium and Norris settled for fourth, so the Dutchman extended his lead in the championship to 57 points with five rounds remaining.

The stewards’ explanation

Around one hour after the United States Grand Prix, which was won by Charles Leclerc, the stewards gave their full reasoning for giving Norris the penalty:

“The Stewards reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video and in-car video evidence.

“Car 4 was overtaking Car 1 on the outside, but was not level with Car 1 at the apex. Therefore under the Driving Standards Guidelines, Car 4 had lost the “right” to the corner.

“Accordingly as Car 4 left the track and returned in front of Car 1, it is deemed to be a case of leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage.

“A 5 second penalty is imposed instead of the 10 second penalty recommended in the guidelines because having committed to the overtaking move on the outside the driver of Car 4 had little alternative other than to leave the track because of the proximity of Car 1 which had also left the track.

“In view of the above, we determine that this will not count as a track limit “strike” for Car 4.”

What did Norris and Verstappen say?

Lando Norris to Sky Sports F1:

“I tried. He’s also went off the track. So, if he goes off the track, clearly he’s gone in way too hard and also gained an advantage by doing what he did. But I don’t make the rules, so…”

Norris added: “He defends by going off track, he overtakes by going off track. But I’m not going to complain about it. I think Max drove well, he defended well and we had a good race together, but the rules are the rules.”

Max Verstappen to Sky Sports F1:

“I lost a podium here as well when I overtook Kimi Raikkonen on the inside in 2017. It’s quite clear the ruling you can’t overtake outside the white line.

“There’s not more to say. It’s painful but up until then we had a really good battle.”

What about the team bosses?

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella to Sky Sports F1:

“My view is the way the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate because both cars went off track, so both cars gained an advantage.

“It’s a shame because it cost us a podium and a race where we stayed patient after we were pushed off on the first lap and first corner. We accepted it.

“Having said that, very clearly our position, this kind of decision cannot be appealed. This chapter is now closed and we move on to the next race.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to Sky Sports F1:

“It was hard racing between them. They have gone off the circuit and Lando passed off the circuit. The rules are very, very clear.

“Max was straight on the radio, the race director was pretty clear. Clearly off the circuit.

“The rules are the rules. The drivers know that. They are driving accordingly. Max was acutely aware, as soon as Lando went over that white line and overtook, that’s illegal.”

Should Norris have given the position back straight away?

Norris would have avoided a penalty if he gave up the position to Verstappen, before trying to overtake again.

However, McLaren repeatedly said on the radio that he was in front at the apex into Turn 12 and Norris hinted he was forced off.

Norris told Sky Sports F1 after the race: “It’s impossible to know. They obviously can’t make their minds up for a few laps, so it’s obviously not an easy decision, otherwise it would have come a bit sooner.”

Stella added: “We double checked both cars went off track so for us there is no doubt the manoeuvre [decision] was correct.”

Horner was asked what he would have done in McLaren’s position and said: “I think with the hindsight of what we have seen yes I would have because you could see the pace advantage Lando had.

“There was always going to be doubt about that and for us it looked like a slam dunk, so why take the risk? To have that pace advantage, he could have done it again but up the inside.”

What do the Sky Sports F1 pundits think of the incident?

2009 world champion Jenson Button:

“Both cars went off the circuit and it’s frustrating for us watching. Lando went off the track but so did Max, so it’s about who was ahead at the apex.

“Max was in front but was that because he let off the brake at the apex or he ran them both off track? It seems your driver [Verstappen] is very good at understanding the regulations.

“It’s more of the problem that we need to have a better regulation of what is OK and what isn’t.

“We saw with many fights on track at that corner, with guys overtaking and driving the other guy off the track. If it was Monaco, they wouldn’t do that.

“It’s like we need a rule that you cannot push a car completely off the track and we would have better racing.”

Martin Brundle on commentary:

“I think that’s a fair cop for Norris. I think he would have been better giving that back straight away.

“Had he found another one second in the last few laps, it would have been the right thing to do.

“I think it was inevitable Norris was going to get some kind of penalty.”

Anthony Davidson on the SkyPad:

“Lando is not ahead at the apex. When he turns into the corner, initially he is, but at the key point in the corner, Lando is not.

“The car ahead can then dictate where you put the car. It’s quite tricky to try and drive around the outside of someone, expecting them to give you room on the outside. It can happen but it won’t with Max Verstappen. Norris will do that.

“Verstappen did what I expected. Pushed off the track? You can argue you were. But you weren’t ahead.

“Both drivers are off the track but he will get a warning for that. We saw that through the race.

“Lando, meanwhile, is overtaking off the track. That’s the difference. One is off it, one is off it and overtaking.

“My final gripe with this is they shouldn’t be out there at all. There should be gravel there, then none of this would be a talking point.”

Formula 1’s Americas triple header continues next weekend with the Mexico City Grand Prix, with every session live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime