Verstappen ‘foul’ under microscope with ‘scandalous’ Norris penalty scrutinised

Former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi has questioned why Max Verstappen’s “extreme and foul” defence went under the radar after Lando Norris’s “scandalous” United States Grand Prix penalty.

Norris was hit with a five-second penalty at the end of the race in Austin, Texas, for running off track and gaining an advantage while fighting Red Bull driver and F1 2024 title rival Verstappen for third place.

Max Verstappen guilty of ‘foul’ defence as ‘scandalous’ Lando Norris penalty blasted

The McLaren driver launched a move around the outside of Verstappen at Turn 12 on Lap 52 of 56, completing the pass after taking to the run-off area on the exit of the corner.

Norris asked the McLaren pit wall to check if his overtake was legal, with the pit wall reassuring him that he was “ahead at the apex” of the corner.

However, Norris’s joy turned to disappointment at the chequered flag as five seconds were added to his race time, demoting him to fourth behind Verstappen.

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The penalty represented a blow to Norris’s World Championship hopes, with the 24-year-old trailing Verstappen by 57 points with just five races remaining of the F1 2024 season.

And it came after some accused Verstappen of pushing Norris off the track at Turn 1 on the opening lap, allowing eventual winner Charles Leclerc to storm into the lead.

The decision to penalise Norris has provoked much debate, with Andrea Stella, the McLaren team principal, accusing the FIA stewards of “interfering with a beautiful piece of motorsport” by slapping Norris with an “inappropriate” punishment.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner, meanwhile, was unmoved, insisting it was “very much a black-and-white scenario” with Norris’s penalty a “slam dunk” after Verstappen himself was denied a podium by a five-second penalty – also earned for overtaking another driver, in that case Kimi Raikkonen, off the track – at the same venue in 2017.

Writing in a column for Italian publication Corriere della Sera, Alesi described Norris’s penalty as “inexplicable” – and described Verstappen’s defence as “foul.”

He said: “Many spectacular duels and a scandalous race direction. Especially towards Norris.

“OK, at the start Verstappen may have tried to get in front without intending to damage the others, with cold brakes to boot.

“But the penalty to Lando in the finale is inexplicable: Max avoids cornering at the moment he is overtaken.

“It is he who takes the McLaren off the track, going off with four wheels in turn.

“Where would the Englishman have ‘taken advantage’? It is not known.

“Max had the advantage with an extreme, foul and, moreover, rewarded defence.

“I think the rules should be applied at all times and for everyone. Otherwise the driver should be left free for the pleasure of the onlooker.”

Leclerc eased to his eighth career victory at the Circuit of The Americas, with his third win of the F1 2024 season equalling 2022 as his most productive campaign.

With team-mate Carlos Sainz completing Ferrari’s first one-two finish since Australia, Alesi felt the United States GP weekend was “the ultimate” for the Scuderia who, now 48 points behind McLaren, remain in contention to lift the Constructors’ Championship.

He added: “What joy, what satisfaction! Two races, Saturday and Sunday, to get the growing measure of Ferrari’s consistency.

“A GP dominated after an eve without too many proclamations; high technical and agonistic quality reassuring to the point of allowing every fan to enjoy themselves while keeping an eye on what was happening behind Leclerc and Sainz.

“The ultimate: the certainty of having the situation in hand, zero stress. A great job. With the prospect of making the chase for the lead between the teams really exciting.”

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