Controversy at COTA: Why F1 Stewards Penalized Lando Norris in US GP Podium Battle

Analysis: The Reason Behind the US GP Stewards' Penalty on Lando Norris for Overtaking Max Verstappen

An in-depth look into the US Grand Prix stewards' decision to penalize Lando Norris for his maneuver against championship contender Max Verstappen.

The Formula 1 stewards have clarified the reasons behind penalizing Lando Norris during his intense competition with Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix.

The contenders for the championship, Norris and Verstappen, were involved in a thrilling and disputed battle for the last podium place during Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas.

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Norris initially crossed the finish line in third place, having overtaken Verstappen on the outside of Turn 12 with just four laps remaining. However, the McLaren driver received a five-second penalty for executing the maneuver while off the track. As a result, he was demoted to fourth place, allowing his primary competitor to take a spot on the podium.

The choices made by the stewards became a controversial issue that took center stage after the race, drawing attention away from Ferrari's impressive 1-2 finish.

According to the stewards' decision, Car 4 attempted to pass Car 1 on the outer side. However, since Car 4 was not alongside Car 1 at the corner's apex, it forfeited its entitlement to the corner as per the Driving Standards Guidelines.

As Car 4 exited the track and re-entered ahead of Car 1, it is considered a situation where the vehicle left the track and obtained a lasting benefit.

A 5-second penalty is given instead of the suggested 10-second penalty from the guidelines because the driver of Car 4, having initiated an overtaking maneuver on the outside, had limited options but to go off the track due to the closeness of Car 1, which had also gone off the track.

"Based on the information provided, we conclude that this incident will not be considered a track limit violation for Car 4."

McLaren was upset by the decision, as team principal Andrea Stella criticized the F1 stewards for what he called “inappropriate” meddling in what he saw as a “beautiful display of motorsport.”

In an interview with Sky Sports F1, Lando Norris expressed that there was no way to determine if the team's decision to let Verstappen reclaim the position would have been successful.

"The officials seem to be having trouble deciding for a few laps, so it’s clearly a tough call, or it would have been made earlier," he stated.

"I made an attempt. He veered off course by a few meters, indicating he approached too aggressively and gained an unfair benefit from his actions. However, I'm not the one who sets the regulations."

"I have to review the beginning once more. I kept a close line, and Max clearly aimed for a narrow space. While inside the car, certain aspects are definitely more challenging to assess, while others are clearer."

"It’s clear that he made a significant effort, which he is entitled to do, but he also strayed far from the path, so I need to review the situation."

"He veers off the track to defend and uses the same tactic to overtake. However, I'm not here to make a fuss. Max performed admirably, both in his driving and defense, and we had a competitive race. Still, regulations must be followed."

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