McLaren remains unmoved by Norris's disciplinary action.
The Austin Grand Prix five-second penalty on Lando Norris is causing distress for his title hunt. His point gap to Max Verstatten, the current leader, widens to 57 points with only five races left in the season. Desperate measures from Norris' team McLaren are being taken to improve his situation.
The fierce battle for the championship between Verstatten, Red Bull's three-time champion, and Norris is reaching boiling point. McLaren, Norris' team, is attempting to overturn the penalty handed to their 24-year-old driver at the end of the United States Grand Prix.
Norris was penalized with a five-second time penalty last Sunday in Austin following a tussle with Verstatten, dropping him from third to fourth position and increasing his deficit by three points to the Red Bull driver.
Today at the Mexican Grand Prix, McLaren is to present new evidence in a video conference with the race stewards. This evidence must not have been readily available to the stewards at the time of their decision on Sunday.
Title dream fading
Norris had outmaneuvered Verstatten on the outside in a corner, at the same time leaving the track, just like Verstatten had. Upon rejoining the track, he was in front of Verstatten, a move that the stewards deemed to have given him an advantage, leading to the penalization with the five-second time penalty.
"I haven't discussed it with Max because he felt he was right, and I did too," said Norris, who trails Verstatten by 57 points in the championship standings. "Still, I disagree, and so does the team."
This season, five more races remain on the 2024 Formula 1 calendar. Following Mexico, the circus moves on to Brazil, followed by a pause before the race in Las Vegas on November 23. The season culminates in Abu Dhabi, after stops in Qatar.
If Norris wins all the remaining races and sets the fastest lap, Verstatten would only require five third-place finishes to clinch his third consecutive championship title.
The discussion over Norris' five-second penalty at Formula 1's Austin Grand Prix continues, as McLaren plans to present new evidence to the race stewards during the Mexican Grand Prix. If the penalty stands, Norris' title hopes in Formula 1's 2024 season could significantly dwindle, putting more pressure on him to secure victories in the remaining five races.
