Per week in the past within the Method 1 United States Grand Prix, the season’s newest on-track tussle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen ended with the McLaren driver hit with a five-second penalty for leaving the observe and gaining a bonus. That penalty dropped Norris into fourth and bumped Verstappen up into third, permitting the Pink Bull driver to increase his lead over Norris within the Drivers’ Championship race.
As luck would have it, the 2 tangled once more Sunday in Mexico Metropolis, solely this time it was Verstappen who drew the wrath of race officers, to the tune of a pair of ten-second penalties that ended any probability Verstappen had of a return to the rostrum.
The incident in query occurred in the course of the early levels of the race, as Norris and Verstappen had been battling for second behind pole-sitter Carlos Sainz Jr. You’ll be able to see a portion of their battle right here:
Race officers instantly famous that the trade between the 2 drives was below investigation, after which a pair of two ten-second penalties had been handed right down to Verstappen. One penalty was for forcing Norris off the observe at Flip 4, the opposite for leaving the observe and gaining a bonus at Flip 8.
Regarding the Flip 4 incident not solely did race officers situation the ten-second penalty in the course of the race, however they added two penalty factors to Verstappen’s Tremendous License as properly.
“Norris was making an attempt to overhaul on the surface of Verstappen at Flip 4. Norris was forward of Verstappen on the entry, apex and in direction of the exit of the flip when he began being compelled off the observe,” wrote race officers. “The Stewards imagine that the maneuver was completed in a protected and managed method and that Norris would have been in a position to make the
maneuver on the observe had he not been compelled off the observe by Verstappen. Norris minimize the nook however instantly gave the place he gained in consequence again to Sainz.”
Concerning the Flip 8 incident, race stewards said that having reviewed all out there video proof, they had been issuing a penalty. “Following the incident in Flip 4, Verstappen tried to move Norris on the within at
Flip 8. Verstappen was forward on the apex of Flip 8 and would have been entitled to racing room. Nonetheless, he was not in a position to full the maneuver on the observe, left the observe, and stored the lasting benefit gaining the place, by the way forcing Norris off the observe.”
After the race, Verstappen conceded that the 20-second penalty was “very lengthy:”
Key figures at McLaren raised questions on Verstappen’s driving.
“I didn’t wish to count on such a factor, as a result of I respect Max lots as a driver, however I used to be able to count on one thing like this,” mentioned Norris trackside after the race. “This isn’t very clear driving, in my view. However I prevented it and it was a superb race.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown known as the driving “ridiculous” after the race.
“It’s getting a bit ridiculous,” Brown advised Sky Sports activities. “I applaud the stewards. Sufficient is sufficient. Let’s simply have some good, clear racing shifting ahead.
“I feel the stewards are on it. I feel that’s clear by the penalties that they assessed,” added Brown. “So I don’t suppose we have to do something. Simply let the stewards do their job. They did a superb job this weekend.”
With Sunday’s outcomes, not solely did Pink Bull drop to 3rd within the Constructors’ Championship, however Verstappen noticed Norris inch a couple of factors nearer to him within the Drivers’ Championship. With 4 race weekends remaining — together with a pair of F1 Dash Races — Norris stays in rivalry for that title.
And you’ll count on that each race determination going ahead might be scrutinized in consequence.
