McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes the two 10-second penalties given to Max Verstappen for his actions against Lando Norris during the Mexico City Grand Prix were “probably not enough.”
He emphasized the need for “good clean racing moving forward.”
During the race, Norris was pursuing Verstappen for second place when he attempted to overtake on the outside at Turn 4. Verstappen pushed him wide, causing Norris to go off track but rejoin ahead of him.
Later, when Verstappen tried to reclaim his position at Turn 8, both drivers went wide, allowing Charles Leclerc to take second place.
The stewards reviewed the incidents and handed Verstappen a 10-second penalty for forcing Norris off the track at Turn 4, followed by another 10-second penalty for gaining an advantage by leaving the track at Turn 8.
He served his penalties during a pit stop, which dropped him to sixth place, while Norris managed to reclaim P2, narrowing Verstappen’s championship lead to 47 points.
In an interview with Sky Sports F1 post-race, Brown was asked if he thought the penalties were fair.
He replied, “Probably not enough. It’s getting a bit ridiculous.
I applaud the FIA stewards—enough’s enough. Let’s just have some good clean racing moving forward.” He also praised Norris and Carlos Sainz for their performances.
Regarding future discussions with the FIA, Brown indicated that it wouldn’t be necessary, as he commended the stewards for their decisions.
“They did a good job this weekend,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Ferrari’s strong performance at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez has allowed them to surpass Red Bull in the constructors’ standings, now just 29 points behind McLaren.
Brown expressed concern over the tight competition but acknowledged that it’s exciting for Formula 1.
“Certainly can’t rule out Red Bull; they’re not far behind, but it’s going to be an exciting finish to the season.”
