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

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has hit out at F1’s stewards for handing out an “inappropriate” penalty to championship hopeful Lando Norris.

Norris passed title rival Max Verstappen 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 the Red Bull driver to further extend his championship lead to 57 points with five races to go.

“My view is that the way 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 cannot 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 champion at the apex of the corner.

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 make 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 gone in way too hard and also gained an advantage by doing what he did. But I don’t make the rules, so…"