Toto Wolff's immediate reaction to Lando Norris' penalty during controversial US Grand Prix ending speaks volumes
Lando Norris was handed a five-second penalty after a tussle with title rival Max Verstappen.
Toto Wolff’s immediate reaction to Lando Norris’ controversial penalty at the United States Grand Prix has emerged.
The race at the Circuit of the Americas came to a dramatic conclusion thanks to the tussle between three-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and McLaren star Lando Norris.
Norris started the race from pole position but found himself fourth by the end of Turn 1 after being forced off the track.
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The Brit caught up with Verstappen in the closing stages of the Grand Prix and was hoping to pass the Dutchman to get on the podium.
On lap 52, Norris and Verstappen went wheel to wheel at Turn 12 and after both cars went off track, the McLaren driver returned in P3.
The incident was investigated by the stewards and Norris was controversially handed a five-second penalty.
Immediately after the race, Mercedes driver George Russell asked on his team radio: “Did Verstappen get a penalty for that Turn 1?”
Wolff replied: “No, he didn't get a penalty, and at the end, Lando got a penalty for being forced off and overtaking on the outside. I guess it is a bit biased decision-making.”
After accusing the stewards of being biased, Wolff added during an interview with Sky Sports: “It is inconsistent. With Valtteri (Bottas), it wasn't even a race. [In the sprint] we saw a few of those incidents that were exactly the same and weren't penalised when racing for positions, real positions actually. So receiving that penalty is completely odd and bizarre.
“I think we know why, but I can't say that on television.”
When questioned if that was due to over-judicious stewarding, the Mercedes team boss said: “Sometimes there are correlations. When there is decision-making that is a bit interesting.”
Commenting on the incident, Norris said after the race: “For me it's just a rash decision. They don’t hear or understand our points, which they should do after the race. They just want to make a decision at the time so they don’t alter points and podiums and things like that.
“But they don’t hear my point or my team's point or Max's point, which I don’t think is the most correct thing. But today it's a penalty and there's not a lot I can do apart from accept that.”
F1 will return this weekend with the Mexican Grand Prix taking place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Topics: Mercedes, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, McLaren
Marcus Chan