Andrea Stella: U.S. GP penalty was ‘inappropriate'

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

In the aftermath of the United States Grand Prix, McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella has expressed his discontent with the Formula 1 stewards, labeling the penalty imposed on driver Lando Norris as "inappropriate." This decision has significantly hindered Norris's prospects in the title race.

During the race, Norris found himself locked in a thrilling contest with title rival Max Verstappen for a podium finish. The defining moment came four laps from the end when Norris overtook Verstappen, with both drivers running wide. Earlier, a first corner clash with Verstappen had already set the stage for an eventful race for Norris, who had started from pole position. However, Norris's failure to relinquish his position resulted in a penalty that relegated him to a fourth-place finish.

"My view is that the way that the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate because both cars were off track, so both cars gained an advantage," Stella shared with Sky Sports. He emphasized that McLaren had no choice but to accept the decision, which is not subject to appeal.

"We double checked that both cars went off track. So for us, there was no doubt that the manoeuvre was correct," Stella added, explaining why Norris wasn't instructed to give back the place.

In contrast, Red Bull's principal Christian Horner supported the stewards' decision, describing it as a "slam-dunk" and applauding their swift action in ensuring the podium results were accurate.

"For us, it was crystal clear that the pass had been made off the track so he should have given the place back," Horner remarked. "He chose not to so therefore there was a penalty. For us, it was very much a black and white scenario."

Norris voiced his frustration, calling the stewards' decisions inconsistent and hasty. He criticized Verstappen's over-defending, which led to a mistake that still resulted in a benefit for the Red Bull driver.

"I don't think you can appeal this kind of penalty, which is, again, a silly thing because they're just guessing and I don't think that's how stewarding should be done," Norris commented. He added, "I'm not complaining against them. I think it's just more the fact they don't see everything, understand everything, as well as we do when we're inside the car."

As it stands, Norris now trails Verstappen by 57 points, highlighting the significant impact of the stewards' decision on his title aspirations.

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