Martin Brundle demands “serious tweak” to F1’s racing rules after Lando Norris penalty

Legendary F1 commentator Martin Brundle feels that there needs to be a “serious tweak” to the sport’s driving guidelines following the drama surrounding Lando Norris’ battle with Max Verstappen at the United States Grand Prix.

Norris was controversially handed a five-second time penalty for ‘leaving the track and gaining an advantage’ during his duel with Verstappen at Turn 12.

The McLaren driver had been perceived to overtake off the track after Verstappen pushed him wide.

In this instance, Verstappen went off the track as well, but as the defending driver, he escaped a penalty because he simply made the apex first.

The incident has led to lengthy debate over how the rules are policed and general stewarding.

Writing in his post-race column for Sky Sports F1, Brundle blamed the state of modern F1 circuits and called for changes to the rules to make them simpler.

“We witnessed back at the Austrian GP where a simple channel of gravel and other circuit furniture can dissuade driving off the defined racetrack, without having high kerbs which can dangerously launch cars into the air,” he said.

“It costs money to replace and return this for motorcycle racing where it simply doesn't work, but in the grand scale of F1 things that's not expensive.

“The circuit layouts and run-offs create the problems, and the ever more complex driving rules fail to manage all of the inevitable and varied issues. Don't simply blame the referees, that's not fair and won't solve the problem. The driving guidelines need a serious tweak, and much simplification.”

Norris’ penalty wasn’t the only one that was heavily scrutinised.

George Russell was hit with a five-second penalty at the same corner for a move on Valtteri Bottas.

Russell was handed a penalty even though he attempted to give Bottas room mid-corner - something Verstappen didn't do against Norris.

This inconsistency is something that irked Brundle.

“I don't know what happened to the 'let them race' approach from a while back which worked reasonably well,” he added.

“As far as I'm concerned, if you pass a car on the inside of a corner, while remaining under control and not locked up, and keeping within the track confines, then you have won the corner and can take the normal racing line through the exit, and it's up to the driver who has been passed to yield, not to hit the throttle and inevitably run wide.

“George Russell took an unreasonable penalty for this in Austin because the guidelines had to be applied. As have others. If Russell was penalised for running Valtteri Bottas wide, shouldn't Verstappen have been penalised for running Norris wide at the same corner?

And here's another question, given Norris had passed Verstappen down the outside before turn 12, when Verstappen sailed back up the inside, who was actually doing the overtaking at the corner apex, Verstappen or Norris? it's even more complicated than that.”