Lando Norris Cleared of Erratic Driving Allegations in Thrilling Last-Lap Duel with Charles Leclerc

Lando Norris Exonerated of 'Unpredictable Driving' in Duel with Charles Leclerc

After an inquiry, Lando Norris has been absolved of any charges related to unpredictable driving during his sprint race duel with Charles Leclerc.

Lando Norris has been exonerated of any irregular driving behavior during his defense against Charles Leclerc on the last lap of the F1 United States Grand Prix sprint race.

During the final and 19th lap of Saturday's sprint race, the McLaren driver faced significant pressure from both Ferrari drivers. A mistake at the first corner allowed Carlos Sainz to move past him and take second place.

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Norris successfully defended his position against Leclerc, driving the second Ferrari, to secure third place. However, tensions ran high when Leclerc from Monaco almost collided with the back of Norris's McLaren during a heated tussle on the final lap.

Leclerc communicated over the team radio to express his discontent, stating that Norris was shifting positions while braking.

However, the officials concluded that there was no irregular driving behavior, and therefore decided not to take any additional measures.

According to the stewards, the car maintained a steady course while braking, and the maneuver executed at Turn 15 by the driver of Car 4 was a valid defensive action.

At the first corner, Car 4 lost grip while braking and went off track, resulting in a loss of position. The Stewards concluded that the driving was not unpredictable, so no additional measures will be taken.

In an interview with Sky Sports following the race, Leclerc commented that he believed the maneuver was "pushing the boundaries."

"I wasn't anticipating him to take that action. In the spur of the moment, I thought he might have changed direction while braking. I need to review the footage," he stated.

"He appeared to be pushing the boundaries with how he maneuvered on the track, but ultimately, it's part of racing. He was determined to maintain his position."

"I made an effort. It was a near miss. We almost collided, but ultimately no one did, and he ended up ahead."

When questioned regarding the FIA investigation, Norris responded, "Are you referring to the situation where you have to continuously turn and brake throughout the entire process?"

"Well, braking while you’re in the corner is logical."

Lando Norris fell behind by two points to his championship competitor Max Verstappen, as the Red Bull driver secured a commanding win, increasing his lead in the standings to 54 points.

The qualification session for the United States Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, begins at 11 p.m. BST.

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