Lando Norris reacts to penalty for Max Verstappen move: ‘What am I meant to do?’

Lando Norris pointed out that Max Verstappen “also gained an advantage” during their controversial incident at Turn 12 during the United States Grand Prix.

The two F1 title contenders went head-to-head for the podium.

After a number of robust defensive moves by Verstappen, Norris finally got close enough to make a move with the use of DRS into Turn 12.

Norris looked like he had the move done, but Verstappen broke later, running wide in the process.

Norris also ran wide, but managed to get ahead by going off the track.

The incident was looked at by the stewards, with Norris picking up a five-second time penalty for ‘gaining an advantage’.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Norris gave his view on his battle with Verstappen.

“It’s impossible to know,” he said. “I mean they obviously can’t make up their minds for a few laps.

“It’s obviously not an easy decision otherwise they would have made it sooner. I tried.

“He also went off the track. If he goes off the track he clearly went in way too hard and also gained an advantage by doing what he did. I don’t make the rules.”

Lap 1 was also contentious with Verstappen forcing Norris wide into the first corner.

But on this occasion, the stewards decided to take no action.

“I need to look at it again,” Norris added. “I was pretty tight. Max went for a tight gap. From inside the car it’s obviously harder to say with somethings or easier to say with some things. He committed quite a bit. He’s got a right to do. But again, he went off completely.

“I need to look back at it. At the same point, he’s overtaken by going off track. I don’t know what I am meant to do.

“He defends by going off track, he overtakes by going off track, but I am not going to complain about it. Max drove well, he defended well, we had a good race together, but the rules are the rules.”