Why Lando Norris was punished but Max Verstappen was not

This was the most controversial and significant incident at Turn 12. Heading into the braking zone, Verstappen takes over the inside line and forces Norris onto the outside. The cars approach the top side by side, but Verstappen takes a straighter racing line and forces Norris to pass while going off the track. Norris gets his foot out of the way and takes position, maintaining it as he returns to the track.

Exodus: Norris receives a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining a sustained advantage.

Our verdict: According to racing rules, this penalty was fair, since Norris still left the track and gained an advantage. However, he did not leave the circuit of his own free will, but was forced to leave the Verstappen circuit and had nowhere else to go.

Norris (and McLaren) could have been a little smarter. Firstly, he should expect Verstappen to push things to the limit. Overtaking him outside the track, he suggested that the FIA ​​give him a fine. If Norris had not done this, they might have investigated Verstappen for forcing him off the track, and he would probably have had another opportunity to take the position on the very next lap.

McLaren’s position was that Verstappen also left the track and thereby gained the advantage (i.e. forcing Norris to pass). However, Verstappen lost position, so Norris’s advantage was decisive.

However, Norris had no choice but to run off the track due to Verstappen’s aggressive way of positioning his car. According to racing rules, Norris was in front when they entered the turn, but was not on top, which counted against him in this decision as he had “lost the right” to the turn.

Of course, Verstappen was never going to give Norris the space he needed to move around on the outside. It looks like he either never intended to give the McLaren a sniff, releasing the brakes and/or leaving the steering slightly open. Or he just didn’t turn in enough. This sets a slightly worrying precedent for those being overtaken on the outside, especially on tracks with huge sections of hard run-in. McLaren were rightly upset, especially considering that earlier this year in Budapest Verstappen overtook Norris off the track at Turn 1 and was under no obligation to reclaim the place.

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What did they say

“They can’t decide”
Lando Norris: “They obviously can’t make a decision for a few laps, so it’s obviously not an easy decision, otherwise it would have been made a little earlier. I tried. He also left the track. If he goes off the track, it’s obvious that he pushed the track too hard and also gained an advantage by doing what he did. But I don’t make the rules, so…”

“McLaren complains about a lot”
Max Verstappen: “That’s how it is: the decree clearly states that overtaking outside the white line is prohibited. There’s nothing more to say. “Anyway, they (McLaren) have been complaining about a lot lately.”

“A wonderful example of motorsport”
Andrea Stella, McLaren Team Principal: “The way the stewards disrupted great motorsport was uncalled for as both cars went off the track. Both cars gained an advantage. It’s a shame because it cost us the podium, it was a race where we stayed patient after we got bumped on the first lap and we took it in stride.”

“Biased Decision Making”
Toto Wolf expressed his disbelief at the perceived inconsistency in decisions in a post-race radio message to Russell. “He (Verstappen) didn’t get a penalty and at the end Lando got a penalty for having to leave the field and overtake on the outside. I think this is a bit of a biased decision, but…”

After the race, Wolff was more confident in his comments, suggesting that something unusual had happened to the stewards. “Yesterday (in the sprint race) we saw several of the same incidents that were not punished. To receive such a fine is completely strange and bizarre. I think we know why, but you can’t talk about it on television.”

“Verstappen has outdone himself”
Jenson Button criticized the racing rules that allowed Verstappen to maintain his position and force Norris off the track.

“He’s ahead of the apex because he’s outdone himself. If he knows he needs to keep his nose ahead at the apex, he just pulls away and lets the car fly into the corner. He’s ahead, but he doesn’t have to take the corner.”

“The rules are very, very clear.”
Red Bulls Christian Horner: “The rules are very, very clear. Max spoke directly on the radio, the race director was quite clear. (Norris was) clearly not in the know.”

“Rules are rules, drivers know that. Max knew full well that as soon as Lando crossed the white line and went off the track, it was illegal. I think there were some restrictions on the track, a whole bunch of things going on.”

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