McLaren boss Andrea Stella has accused the FIA stewards of inappropriate interference in the Max Verstappen-Lando Norris battle during the recently concluded 2024 F1 US GP.
The race in Austin saw the top two drivers in the championship standings go head-to-head for P3 in the race.
While Max Verstappen had track position, Lando Norris had fresher tires and hence an advantage over his rival.
For a few laps, Verstappen had been able to fend off Norris but then in the move that was the culmination of the battle, the McLaren driver lined up the Red Bull driver on the back straight.
While defending, Max Verstappen took the inside line, forcing Lando Norris to take the outside, but the Dutch driver then overshot the corner, and as a consequence, the British driver too ended up doing the same. In the process, Norris came out ahead on the track and did not cede position afterward.
The FIA stewards adjudicated the incident in favor of Max Verstappen because he was ahead at the Apex. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was not happy with the call made, as he felt that this was an inappropriate interference. He told Sky Sports:
“My view is the way the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate because both cars went off track, so both cars gained an advantage. It’s a shame because it cost us a podium and a race where we stayed patient after we were pushed off on the first lap and first corner. We accepted it.”
He added:
“Having said that, very clearly our position, this kind of decision cannot be appealed. This chapter is now closed and we move onto the next race.”
Lando Norris gives his take on the incident with Max Verstappen
Talking to Sky Sports afterwards, Lando Norris gave his view on the turn of events, where he pointed out how Max Verstappen also went off track while trying to defend his position. Looking back at the incident, he said:
“It’s impossible to know. They obviously can’t make their minds up for a few laps, so it’s obviously not an easy decision, otherwise it would have come a bit sooner. I tried. He’s also went off the track. So, if he goes off the track, clearly he’s gone in way too hard and also gained an advantage by doing what he did. But I don’t make the rules.”
The penalty meant that Lando Norris dropped out of podium contention and Max Verstappen finished in P3. To make things worse, Verstappen has now increased his lead in the championship to 57 points over Norris with just five races left.
This was also the first race since summer break where Verstappen outscored Norris over a weekend.
Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee
