Norris: Hamilton deserved “way more” penalties for track limits

Norris was heard repeatedly complaining about his fellow Brit running wide as he hunted down the seven-time world champion in the early stages of Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring. 

Hamilton was eventually hit with a five-second time penalty for the offences but protested over team radio that his Mercedes “wouldn’t turn”. 

Norris managed to overtake Hamilton on his way to a strong fifth as he demonstrated promising pace in his upgraded McLaren. 

Speaking to Sky F1 after the race, Norris suggested that Hamilton got off lightly with his punishment. 

“Yeah, I was going to do a live commentary at every corner, pretty much,” Norris laughed. 

Norris added: “He [Hamilton] only got a five-second penalty?

“It should be way more! He had about four strikes in one lap!”

The race - and weekend - was dominated by track limits, with several drivers picking up penalties in the race. 

Aston Martin have protested the result after taking issue with the way in which the stewards applied the rules. 

Norris, who was one of the few drivers who did not fall foul of track limits, admitted he has some sympathy for his rivals. 

“People on the outside, they complain, they don’t understand how difficult it is to stay within the track limits,” he explained. 

“Yes, I guess you can say I did and ‘Why can’t anyone else do it?’ but it depends on what position you’re in.

“If Fernando was behind me the last 5/10 laps, I can assure you that I’d have done track limits at least once and then I probably would have got a penalty.

“It just depends if you’re under pressure. When you’re under pressure, you’re pushing a little bit more, you have a little bit more of a slide.

“But that’s just like a human error, but it’s also like that’s racing at the end of the day.

“It feels tough for some of the things that you feel like you shouldn’t be penalised for but, when it’s a rule, then it’s also a rule for everyone. So I guess that I didn’t.

“If you struggle, then you’ve just got to slow down. But you never want to do that when you’re a driver. So yeah, it’s complicated. It’s just not as easy as what it looks like on the outside.

“I can assure everyone of that so I don’t have sympathy for the people that did get it, in a way, but I also don’t!”