McLaren chief responds to Damon Hill’s verdict on Lando Norris vs Max Verstappen fallout​

Lando Norris lost out to Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix after a late penalty given by the F1 stewards to the McLaren driver for overtaking off track

​Lando Norris lost out to Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix after a late penalty given by the F1 stewards to the McLaren driver for overtaking off track Lando Norris lost out to Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix after a late penalty given by the F1 stewards to the McLaren driver for overtaking off track   

McLaren chief executive Zak Brown responded to Damon Hill‘s analysis of the Lando Norris penalty incident which overshadowed the United States Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver was battling with title rival Max Verstappen in the dying stages of the Austin race when he was forced off track while trying to overtake around the outside. He came back on ahead of the Red Bull and the team decided against giving the place back.

They were telling Norris over the radio that they felt he was ahead at the apex of the corner. However, the stewards disagreed and said the Brit had no “right” to the corner and so he was punished for the illegal overtake.

But questions were raised over the consistency of the decisions over the course of the race. Particularly as George Russell had also been given a penalty for pushing Valtteri Bottas off the track at the same corner earlier on.

Russell suggested over the radio that he felt Verstappen should have been given a similar punishment to the one he got. And his Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff agreed and asserted that “bias” may have played a role in the decision.

Watching on as the action unfolded, Hill also raised questions over how the race was policed. Writing on social media, the 1996 F1 champion said: “I am not convinced the stewarding was consistent in that race.

“Lando went deep to pass and did so off track. That said, Max did not give him room on the exit and barged him off the track in turn one, lap one.” He went on to conclude: “The rules need to be better.”

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Responding to Hill directly under that post, McLaren chief Brown hinted at the team’s dissatisfaction with the penalty for Norris by agreeing with what the 64-year-old had said. “Damon, I am convinced it is not [consistent]!”

Norris lost ground to Verstappen in the title race as a result of the penalty and is now 57 points behind the Dutchman with five rounds remaining. He felt that the stewards had rushed their decision and “guessed” the outcome, while his team principal Andrea Stella went one step further.

The Italian said: “The way the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate. Both cars went off track so both cars gained an advantage. It is a shame because it cost us a podium in a race where we stayed patient after we were pushed off in the first corner.”

​Mirror – Sport