McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris has voiced his dissatisfaction with the stewards' decision to penalize him with a five-second time penalty for overtaking Dutch driver Max Verstappen of Red Bull during the US Grand Prix in Austin.
In the closing laps of the race, Norris, who was in fourth position, attempted to overtake Verstappen. The Dutch driver went wide at Turn 12, causing Norris to go off the track. As a result, Norris received a five-second penalty, dropping him from third to fourth place in the final standings.
Norris said, as reported by BBC:
For me, the thing that is incorrect is what Max did, which is defend his position by going off the track and effectively keeping his position. He over-defended and made a mistake and gained from that. I had to go off the track. For me it's just a rash decision. But today it's a penalty and there's not a lot I can do apart from accept that.
Norris also pointed out that Formula 1 stewards do not listen to or understand the drivers' perspectives.
Earlier, 27-year-old driver and three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen responded to McLaren CEO Zak Brown's comments, in which he described the atmosphere in the Austrian team as toxic.