F1 fans disagree with FIA over huge Norris penalty

There were a number of potentially controversial decisions handed down at the Qatar Grand Prix, including the decision to award Lando Norris a 10-second stop/go penalty.

The call from the stewards in this instant was not a matter for debate. However, the severity of the punishment certainly caught some off-guard, both within and outside of the F1 paddock.

It is a call that could have huge implications in the constructors’ championship showdown between McLaren and Ferrari.

The gap between the two teams now sits at 21 points heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It cost Norris and his team 16 points directly, plus the two points Carlos Sainz gained further back.

Whilst the British driver still would have suffered a penalty of some description, it would not have been as significant for the championship standings.

As for how it came to pass, Alexander Albon’s discarded wing mirror sitting idly in the middle of the start-finish straight at the Lusail International Circuit, marshals produced double-waved yellow flags to alert oncoming drivers of the potential danger.

Such action mandates drivers lift off through the area in question. However, when first employed, Norris did not.

It was something the eagle-eyed Max Verstappen noticed instantly. The Dutchman promptly radioed in to Red Bull to alert them, a move that likely played a part in his McLaren adversary’s penalty.

And the punishment applied is technically the letter of the law, but F1 fans nevertheless feel given the context and the unusualness of its use, the penalty was – in this case – too harsh.

In a recent poll conducted by RacingNews365, 65.3% of respondents felt the penalty awarded was too severe. Further still, less than one in five who voted viewed the penalty to be fair.

Correct or not, F1 fans do not see eye to eye with the stewards on this occasion, but how much of a factor was the surprise element of the call?

Full results from the latest poll by RacingNews365 below. Let us know what you think in the comment section.