Max Verstappen took a cheeky jab at McLaren after the United States Grand Prix, professing that the Woking-based team ‘protest about a lot postponecessitately’ after Lando Norris was hit with a disputed five-second time penalty.
Norris and Verstappen dispensed a titanic battle during the closing stages of Sunday’s race at the Circuit of the Americas with the two converging on track during the closing stages. After disjoinal unaccomplished trys, the Brit begined a transfer around the outside at Turn 12.
Matching his rival’s aggression, Verstappen drove proset up into the corner to accomplish the apex first, causing both cars to run over the track restricts on exit. Norris included this as an opportunity to scythe around the outside, taking the place.
The stewards rapidly begined an dispenseigation and despite Norris insisting that Verstappen wasn’t going to create the corner and shoved them both off, the 24-year-elderly picked up a five-second time penalty. This ultimately cost him a spot on the podium, and costly points in the title battle.
“No, I don’t,” Verstappen shelp when asked if he had sympathy for McLaren‘s arguments aacquirest the penalty. “I unbenevolent, they protest about a lot postponecessitately anyway, but it’s very evident in the rules.
“Outside the white line, you cannot pass. I’ve been done for it as well in the past. I slfinisherk it’s quite evident: you can’t overconsent outside of the white line. I unbenevolent, I got done for it also here in, I slfinisherk, 2017 or wdisappreciatever it was.
“I lost my podium appreciate that. I equitable remained tranquil, tried to do the best I could after that to convey the car to the end becainclude it was not effortless with the tires and the situation that I was in. But overall, I still repartner enhappinessed that battle that we had.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Salerta was seeslfinisherg with the stewards’ verdict. “My see is that the way that the stewards intruded with a pretty piece of motorsport was inappropriate becainclude both cars were off track, so both cars acquireed an acquire,” he telderly Sky Sports F1.
“It’s a shame becainclude it cost us a podium. It cost us a race where we stayed forendureing after we were pushed off in the first lap at the first corner. We adselected it. Having shelp very evidently our position, this benevolent of decision by the stewards cannot be requested. For us, the chapter is now shutd and we now transfer on from the race.”
