McLaren lose bid to have Lando Norris penalty overturned

The British driver was handed a five-second penalty in the United States Grand Prix which put him behind title rival Max Verstappen

Sat, 26 Oct, 2024 - 09:23

Scott Hunt, PA

McLaren have failed in their bid to overturn Lando Norris’ penalty from the United States Grand Prix.

The team invoked a “right of review”, asking the stewards to look again at the turn 12 incident in Austin, where Norris was handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage while overtaking Max Verstappen in the closing stages.

That demoted the British driver below his title rival as the Dutchman extended his championship lead to 57 points.

Ahead of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, Norris repeated his view that the penalty was unfair and said he believes Verstappen, who also left the track, was only ahead at the apex because he braked late and had no intention of making the corner.

Norris was adjudged to have gained an advantage by running wide at turn 12 (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

McLaren felt they had a “a significant and new element that was unavailable to us at the time the decision was made” – which is the criteria needed for a right of review to proceed.

A video hearing with the stewards took place at 2.30pn local time on Friday in Mexico City and the FIA announced on Friday night that McLaren’s claim had been rejected as there was no “relevant new element”.

McLaren’s argument was based on their view that Norris had overtaken Verstappen before the braking zone and as such was not the attacking car, which was the basis on which the stewards had made their decision.

Reacting to the rejection of their right of review, McLaren said in a statement: “We disagree with the interpretation that an FIA document, which makes a competitor aware of an objective, measurable and provable error in the decision made by the stewards, cannot be an admissible “element” which meets all four criteria set by the ISC, as specified in Article 14.3.

McLaren challenged the decision to penalise Lando Norris (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

“We will continue to work closely with the FIA to further understand how teams can constructively challenge decisions that lead to an incorrect classification of the race.”

Speaking before the FIA’s decision, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner maintained his view that the stewards had made the right decision and said McLaren were regularly taking aim at his team.

“When you are running at the sharp end then everything comes under more scrutiny. McLaren are being quite vocal about many parts of our team, our car, stewards etc,” Horner said.

“There is a criteria it (the right of review) has to fill. Whether it fills that I am not sure, I don’t think there is any new evidence.

“You have to trust in the process, the stewards are in a difficult position. I thought the calls they made were absolutely fair and right at the weekend. You can’t overtake a car off the circuit.”