Lando Norris goes off in battle with Max Verstappen
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella praised the FIA’s handling of the early battle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen on Sunday, saying the two 10-second penalties for Verstappen proved “authority exists” at the governing body.
Verstappen was punished twice for forcing Norris off-track before leaving the circuit and gaining an advantage four corners later on lap 10, earning two penalty points on his licence in the process.
McLaren: Max Verstappen penalties show ‘authority exists’ at FIA
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock
Last time out in Austin, it was Norris who was handed a five-second penalty for overtaking Verstappen beyond track limits, but this time around the Red Bull driver saw his position drop significantly in the pits while he waited for 20 seconds in his box before his tyres could be changed.
With that punishment, Verstappen managed to salvage a sixth place finish at the chequered flag in Mexico City, losing 10 points to Norris in the Drivers’ Championship battle – though he still holds a healthy 47-point advantage heading into the final four rounds.
For McLaren team principal Stella, who was in disagreement with the decision to penalise Norris at the Circuit of The Americas, he feels Verstappen’s hefty penalties were “positive news for everyone” at the weekend.
“There may be some more details in terms of looking at the incidents and interpretation of the incidents but, in my view, the penalties seem to be consistent with the application of the guidelines in relation to those kind of incidents,” he explained to media including PlanetF1.com.
“So I think from this point of view, this has been a positive day, because it shows that authority exists.
More from the world of Formula 1 after Verstappen and Norris get close in Mexico
“It shows that the stewards have done a good job, a good job that surely comes because of constant review, like we do in Formula 1.
“In any kind of thing you do, you then review, and you try to improve – and certainly we as a team, there’s many things that we know we can review and improve.
And to me, it looks like this process has happened also, in terms of stewarding, in terms of the FIA having taken some feedback constructively on board, and we appreciate this, and we – not as a team, but as a part of the F1 community – I feel like I have to thank the FIA and the stewards.
“In my view today, they interpreted the racing scenarios accurately. They applied the guidelines consistently and, like I said, this for me, this is positive news for everyone.”
With title rivals Norris and Verstappen having raced at close quarters at the last two rounds, the topic of how the Red Bull driver has defended against the McLaren has been brought up – but while Stella admitted such moves have likely “cost us points”, he did not want to be drawn on how the battles have played out.
“I don’t want to comment on how Max is fighting Lando because, again, this is very subjective, and as much as possible, I would like to comment things that are objective, so I don’t comment on that,” Stella said.
