McLaren boss blasts F1 stewards for ‘inappropriate’ Lando Norris penalty

McLaren boss Andrea Stella unhappy with stewards' interference over la❀te Lando Norris and Max Verstappen battle.

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen battle for third
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen battle for third

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has hit out at F1’s stewards for handing out an “inappropriate” penalty to championship hopeful168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Lando Norris.

Norris passed title rival Max Ver🐷stappen for third place at Turn 12 with four laps to go but was handed a five-second time penalty for completing the move off track.

That meant Norris dropped behind Verstappen to fourth after the chequered flag, enabling theꦡ Red Bull d🔯river to further extend his championship lead to 57 points with five races to go.

“My view is that the w🐬ay that the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate because both cars were off track, so both cars gained an advantage,” Stella told Sky ♔Sports.

“It’s a shame because it cost us a podium. It cost us a race where we stayed patient after we were pushed off in the first lap at the first corner. We accepted 🉐it.

“Having said very clearly our position, this kind of decision by the stewards caꦰnnot be appealed. For us, the chapter is now closed and we now move on from🅘 the race.”

Norris chose not to give the place back to Verstappen after McLaren claimed he had been ahead of the reigning world cham🌜pion at the apex of the co🍨rner.

Asked♌ if McLaren considered telling Norris to hand the position back, Stella replied: “We double checked that both cars went off track. So for us there was no doubt that the manoeuvre was correct.”

Norris was left frustrated by the 🅘stewards decision, insisting Verstappen also went off the track.

"It’s impossible to know. They obviously can’t ꦏmake their minds up for a few laps, so it’s obviously not an easy decision, otherwise it would have come a bit sooner,” he explained.

"I tried. He’s also went off the track. So, if he goes off the track,🧜 clearly he’s go🐭ne in way too hard and also gained an advantage by doing what he did. But I don’t make the rules, so…"

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