McLaren slams stewards' "inappropriate" interference in Norris vs Verstappen battle
Stella is unhappy with the way stewards handled Norris' fight with Verstappen
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says the United States Grand Prix stewards have "interfered in an inappropriate manner" with Lando Norris' and Max Verstappen's battle for third, as Norris took a five-second penalty for passing off-track.
Norris had caught Verstappen in their hard-tyre stint and began to exert heavy pressure on his championship rival, although each of his efforts to pass was batted away by the Dutchman's well-curated defence.
On the 45th lap, Norris drew alongside with DRS as Verstappen held the inside, and both cars ended up going off-track; Norris subsequently moved ahead of Verstappen with McLaren's pitwall content that both drivers were off the road.
However, Norris could not create a lead over Verstappen large enough to absorb the eventual five-second penalty, crossing the line 4.1 seconds ahead on track.
Stella says that he had "no doubt" that Norris took the correct action as both cars were on the run-off, suggesting that both gained an advantage.
"My view is that the way the stewards interfered in this beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate, because both cars went off-track," Stella told Sky F1.
"So both cars gained an advantage. It's a shame because it costs us a podium. It costs us a race where we stay patient. After we were pushed off in the first lap, first corner, we accepted it.
"Having said that, very clearly our position – this kind of decision by the stewards cannot be appealed. For us, the chapter is now closed and we move on to the next race."
Asked if there was any possibility that Norris could have returned the position, Stella felt that there was no need, stating that "we double checked that both cars went off track. For us, there was no doubt that the manoeuvre was correct."
Norris said that the time it took the stewards to make the decision to hand him a five-second penalty must had meant that it was a borderline call.
He also brought up that Verstappen's first-lap move, which also yielded the situation where both drivers were off-track, was allowed to stand - while his challenge for third was not.
"It's impossible to know [if the team asking him to give the place back would have worked out], the stewards obviously can't make their minds up for a few laps, so it's not an easy decision, or it would have come a bit sooner," Norris told Sky F1.
"I tried. He also went off the track, a few metres off the track, so clearly went in too hard, and also getting an advantage by doing what he did. But I don't make the rules.
"I need to go look at [the start] again. I was pretty tight, obviously Max went for a tight gap. From inside the car it's obviously harder to say on some things and also easier to say on some things.
"He obviously committed quite a bit, which he's got the right to do, but again, he went completely off the track, so I need to look back at it.
"He defends by going off-track, he overtakes by going off-track. But I'm not going to complain. Max drove well and he defended well, we had a good race together. But the rules are the rules."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.- The Motorsport.com Team
Share Or Save This Story
What is Racing Bulls doing that Red Bull isn't?
How F1's current aerodynamic battlegrounds are shaping up - and what's next in 2027
British Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2026
Lando Norris left "shaking" by emotional British GP Landostand reception
Why McLaren is sliding backwards in British GP after surprise sprint podium
Why becoming a world champion for the first time has its own pressures
How the more technical F1 2026 regulations hinder customer teams
Lando Norris arrives at British GP in stunning classic Jaguar
Notebooks and no-nonsense: How "very interesting" Fornaroli impressed Stella in Barcelona
Latest news
Jorge Martin has no "strong points": "If we go on like this, it will be difficult"
Rome completes key milestone in pursuit of 2027 WRC round
Jenson Button identifies key reason behind Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari resurgence
MotoGP leans towards Brazil for 2027 season launch
Feature
What is Racing Bulls doing that Red Bull isn't?
Why Williams is still feeling the weight of expectation
Why there are no quick fixes for all of Max Verstappen’s frustrations at Red Bull
Why Fred Vasseur's steady hand is exactly what fervent Ferrari needs right now
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Top Comments