Norris alerted FIA to Verstappen’s VSC infringement · RaceFans

Lando Norris alerted the FIA to his championship rival Max Verstappen’s potential infringement at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Verstappen is one of four drivers under investigation for overtaking drivers under Virtual Safety Car conditions after the race ended.

The VSC was deployed on the penultimate lap due to the crash involving Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jnr. The race was still under VSC conditions when the leaders took the chequered flag, so Verstappen crossed the line 40 seconds after Norris, who finished immediately ahead of him.

Norris remained at VSC speeds, staying behind George Russell ahead of him, while Verstappen caught up to the two cars.

Verstappen overtook Norris on the approach to turn 18, before then passing Russell before the right hand kink at turn 19. Norris immediately reported Verstappen overtaking him to race engineer Will Joseph.

“Max is overtaking everyone,” Norris reported over the radio. “It’s still a VSC, right? I don’t know if it still matters or not, but it’s still a VSC.”

Verstappen entered the pits ahead of Russell and Norris, who maintained their order until they reached the pit lane.

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Afterwards Norris, who had to abandon a lap in qualifying yesterday when he was shown yellow flags, said he queried Verstappen’s driving with his team because he wasn’t sure if it was legal.

“I just had ‘VSC’ on my dash with yellow lights, similar to what I had yesterday,” he explained. “Obviously there was a crash, there was paramedics on-track, things like that, which normally means no overtaking.

“But he was overtaking. So I just questioned it, I quizzed it to my team, because I didn’t think you’re allowed to overtake, but, maybe I’m wrong.”

However Verstappen denied he had overtaken anyone when he was not allowed to. “I didn’t pass under the Virtual Safety Car,” he told Sky. “We crossed the line, the race is finished, and there are a lot of examples in the past, this year as well, when we have done exactly the same thing. So for me I’m a bit surprised.”

Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are also under investigation for overtaking under VSC conditions after the race finished.