Lando Norris expressed his frustration with the stewards’ hasty decision to penalise him during the US Grand Prix, labeling it as a setback in his pursuit of his first world championship title. The British driver believed the penalty was a “momentum killer” in his battle against Max Verstappen.
At the start of the race in Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, Norris, who began from pole position, slipped to fourth place after a challenging first corner. Charles Leclerc ultimately claimed victory, followed by his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz, while Norris engaged in a tense tussle with Verstappen for third place.
With only four laps remaining, Norris overtook Verstappen at Turn 12, a move he thought had secured him third place. However, he was later handed a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage by running off the track during the overtake maneuver. This demotion to fourth place left Norris trailing Verstappen by 57 points in the championship standings.
In response to the stewards’ decision, Norris expressed his disagreement, highlighting Verstappen’s own track excursion to defend his position. He criticised the rushed nature of the ruling and emphasized the importance of understanding drivers’ perspectives post-race to make fair judgments.
Verstappen, on the other hand, defended the steward’s decision, citing the rules against overtaking outside the designated track boundaries. He referenced a similar incident in 2017 where he faced a penalty for a similar move.
Reflecting on his performance, Norris acknowledged his shortcomings during the race, particularly at the start where he lost ground to Verstappen. He accepted responsibility for not defending better and acknowledged the impact on his championship aspirations.
Overall, the US Grand Prix proved to be a challenging event for Norris, underscoring the fierce competition and high stakes in the Formula One championship battle between him and Verstappen. The controversy surrounding the penalty decision only added to the drama of the race and the ongoing rivalry between the two drivers.