Martin Brundle has raised concerns about why Max Verstappen escaped punishment after a controversial moment with Lando Norris at the United States Grand Prix. Brundle’s comments come after George Russell, driving for Mercedes, received a penalty for a similar incident during the race.
The Controversy: Verstappen and Norris Battle
During the late stages of the 2024 U.S. Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, McLaren’s Lando Norris found himself battling Max Verstappen of Red Bull for third place. On Lap 52 of 56, Norris attempted to overtake Verstappen around Turn 12, but in doing so, he went off the track, taking to the run-off area to complete the pass.
Although Norris checked with his team if the overtake was legal and received confirmation that he was “ahead at the apex” of the corner, his hopes were dashed. A five-second penalty was added to his race time, pushing him down to fourth place, behind Verstappen.
Brundle Questions FIA’s Consistency
The decision to penalize Norris has sparked significant debate, especially given that Verstappen was accused by some of pushing Norris off track on the opening lap at Turn 1, which allowed race-winner Charles Leclerc to seize the lead. Martin Brundle was quick to voice his concerns, questioning why Verstappen wasn’t given a similar penalty.
Brundle, writing in his Sky F1 column, stated:
“I don’t know what happened to the ‘let them race’ approach from a while back, which worked reasonably well.”
He pointed out that Norris’s car was ahead of Verstappen as they entered the braking zone, raising doubts about the consistency of the FIA’s penalty decisions.
The Impact on the Championship
For Lando Norris, the penalty represents a significant setback in his fight for the 2024 F1 World Championship. With just five races remaining, the 24-year-old McLaren driver trails Verstappen by 57 points, making his path to the title even more challenging. The penalty, therefore, has far-reaching consequences, not just for the race but for the entire championship battle.
Comparisons to Russell and Bottas Incident
Earlier in the same race, George Russell was handed a five-second penalty after stewards judged that he had forced Valtteri Bottas off the track at Turn 12. This penalty for Russell has added fuel to the debate about FIA’s inconsistent enforcement of penalties, especially in similar racing situations.
McLaren and Red Bull React
Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, expressed his frustration, criticizing the stewards for “interfering with a beautiful piece of motorsport.” Stella described the penalty as “inappropriate” and argued that it spoiled what had been an intense and exciting race between Norris and Verstappen.
On the other side, Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team boss, defended the FIA’s decision, insisting that it was a clear-cut penalty, referring to a similar incident in 2017, where Verstappen was also penalized five seconds for overtaking Kimi Raikkonen off-track at the same venue.
Conclusion
The decision to penalize Lando Norris and the lack of similar punishment for Max Verstappen has reignited debates over the consistency of FIA’s penalties. With Martin Brundle questioning why Verstappen wasn’t held to the same standard, this incident may prompt further scrutiny as the F1 2024 season heads towards its final races. Fans and teams alike will be watching closely to see how the FIA handles similar incidents in the future, particularly as the championship fight intensifies.
