Norris receives crucial stewards verdict
Lando Norris has been punishment following an investigation by the Sao Paulo Grand Prix stewards for a potential infringement in the aborted start procedure.
The 24-year-old was given a reprimand and fined €5,000 by the FIA.
The McLaren driver was not alone in receiving the reprimand as George Russell, who was also on the front row of the grid, was handed one, too.
Both were also financially penalised. The Mercedes driver received the same fine as his compatriot.
Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson escaped with no further action against them.
The Briton was placed under investigation at the very beginning of the race for a potential starting procedure infringement.
Lance Stroll crashed on the formation lap which triggered an aborted start, to which Norris pulled away to complete another lap.
Russell in second, Tsunoda in third and Lawson in fifth followed the McLaren driver.
All four were summoned to speak to the stewards, who wanted to find out why the drivers decided to pull away in what was an unusual incident.
As confirmed by the FIA, it constituted a breach of Article 47.1 of F1’s sporting regulations.
Following the summons, the stewards’ official decision document detailed the reason for the verdict.
Reason from the FIA stewards decision document for Norris
The Stewards heard from the team representative and reviewed video evidence.
The FIA Formula One Race Director initiated the Aborted Start procedure indicating that the drivers should not leave the grid. This message was necessary as there was a car off track in Turn 4 (STR) that needed to be recovered. Although the signal was appropriately given the light panel illuminated as prescribed, and the teams notified by the messaging system, the driver left the grid and proceeded on a lap that he assumed to be an extra formation lap.
As the driver was on the front row of the grid this triggered following drivers to take similar action. At some point the Race Director realizing that for practical reasons all cars would now need to do an extra formation lap gave an instruction to the teams for all cars to proceed and return to the grid to follow the correct aborted start procedure.
In the opinion of the stewards the driver NOR precipitated the action of the drivers on the grid directly behind him.
