‘Incorrect’ for rules to allow Verstappen’s divebomb defence

Formula 1’s rules which allow drivers to defend their position by running off track are not correct, says Lando Norris.

The McLaren driver made the comment after he was penalised for overtaking Max Verstappen off the track towards the end of last weekend’s United States Grand Prix.

Norris overtook Verstappen on the outside approaching turn 12 on lap 52, but Verstappen braked late for the corner and moved back ahead of Norris as he did. This meant Verstappen reached the apex before Norris, and therefore did not have to leave him room under F1’s rules, but was also unable to make the corner himself.

The stewards gave Norris a five-second penalty for overtaking Verstappen off the track. Several other drivers have indicated their dissatisfaction with decisions the stewards took last weekend and Norris also wants answers.

“We will ask questions, we’ve already asked certain questions,” he told Sky. “It’s not something that needs to be done publicly or anything, but we can just have conversations on why I got the penalty because I don’t believe it was correct.

“I think a majority of people don’t agree it was correct. But that’s life and sometimes it doesn’t go your way. But I think things just need to be clear for the future on what’s allowed and what’s not.”

Verstappen’s technique of braking too late for a corner to defend his position has drawn criticism from his rivals before. Norris explained why he believes it should not be allowed.

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“I think the fact of getting off your brakes to achieve just the ruling of being ahead at the apex, no matter how wide you run on the exit, is incorrect. I don’t think that’s how racing should be.

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Circuit of the Americas, 2024 — **Poll: Did either driver deserve a penalty in Norris and Verstappen’s US GP clash?**

“Of course that’s the ruling at the minute and that’s just what you’ve got to deal with. So I think there needs to be some tweaks.

“But at the same time, Max races hard. That’s inevitable, it’s something I expect. I just don’t think I was in the wrong last weekend. We’re both on the limit and it’s hard to judge sometimes your braking by the perfect centimetre or metre even when you going the speeds that we do.”

However Norris said he was not calling for Verstappen to be penalised. “Not necessarily do I believe I was correct, let’s say, I just don’t believe any of us were necessarily in the wrong,” he said. “So it’s not that I shouldn’t have got a penalty and he should, I just don’t think any of us should have got a penalty.

“I tried to overtake, I’ve done it in a way that probably isn’t the best way to do it. But he also didn’t defend – or attack, whichever one you want to say it is – in a way that also applies by the rules. So we were both in the wrong and therefore I think that’s racing.”

Norris’ penalty dropped him to fourth place behind Verstappen and leaves him 57 points adrift in the championship with 147 available. He said the championship situation means Verstappen can afford to take far greater risks in their fights than he can.

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“It’s for the stewards to decide and they have a tough job on making these rules and adapting to every single one because every race and every point is different to look into. Sometimes it’s just hard to understand [and] you need to understand, I think, the driver’s mindset.

“Max has nothing to lose, I have a lot to lose, so he can afford to take much bigger risks than I can. And that’s just the unfortunate position that I’m in at the minute.

“But I enjoy the racing, I really enjoyed the battle that we had last weekend. But of course I need to make some tweaks on my side at the same time to make sure I come out on top.”