Max Verstappen received two 10-second time penalties, effectively ending his chances for victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix and allowing title contender Lando Norris to reduce Verstappen’s championship lead to 47 points with four races remaining.
What transpired between Verstappen and Norris?
After Carlos Sainz reclaimed the lead from Verstappen, Norris began to apply pressure on the Red Bull driver. As they approached Turn 4, Norris attempted an outside maneuver, but Verstappen defended aggressively, forcing Norris to cut the corner and rejoin ahead in second place.
Verstappen then pursued Norris and attempted to overtake at Turn 8, but ran wide, cutting the corner and causing Norris to also go off track.
When they returned to the track, Verstappen was in third, with Norris fourth, as Charles Leclerc slipped into second.
Norris expressed his anger over Verstappen’s actions, labeling them as “dangerous.”
How did the stewards reach their decision in Mexico?
The stewards reviewed multiple sources of evidence and determined that Verstappen was at fault in both instances.
They noted that Norris was ahead at the entry and apex of Turn 4 before being forced off the track, constituting a breach of regulations regarding track limits.
The standard penalty for this was a 10-second time penalty. In the Turn 8 incident, although Verstappen had the right to racing room, he ran wide and gained an unfair advantage by forcing Norris off track, leading to another 10-second penalty.
McLaren’s Reaction
McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown, criticized the penalties as insufficient, emphasizing the need for fair racing.
Team Principal Andrea Stella supported the stewards’ decisions, acknowledging the consistency in applying the rules and expressing gratitude for the stewards’ authority.
Red Bull’s Perspective on Turn 4
Red Bull’s Christian Horner disagreed with the penalties, citing GPS data to argue that Norris’s speed and braking late at Turn 4 were problematic.
He asserted that the regulations could be misinterpreted, suggesting that the onus should be on the driver on the outside to concede space, warning against reversing overtaking principles.
View on the Turn 8 Incident
Regarding the Turn 8 clash, Horner acknowledged that Verstappen likely expected Norris to yield the position and understood why a penalty was warranted since both drivers ran wide.
Will Red Bull Appeal?
Red Bull and Verstappen have not indicated plans to appeal the penalties, focusing instead on the need for clearer racing guidelines moving forward.
Implications for the Championship
Norris’s performance allowed him to close the gap to Verstappen to 47 points, although he must consistently score 12 points more than Verstappen in the remaining races to challenge for the title.
McLaren leads the constructors’ championship, with Ferrari now in second place, just 29 points behind, and Red Bull in third, 25 points further back.
