F1: McLaren right of review over Norris penalty rejected

Norris was handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage when he overtook Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen four laps from the end of the race.

Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL38 Mercedes on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

McLaren’s petition for a right of review of a stewards’ decision that demoted title contender Lando Norris from third to fourth at last weekend’s U.S. Grand Prix has been rejected, the governing FIA said on Friday.

Norris was handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage when he overtook Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen four laps from the end of the race.

Stewards recognised at the time that Norris, on the outside, had little alternative other than to leave the track due to Verstappen doing the same.

At a video conference with the stewards on Friday, McLaren first had to establish there was a “significant and relevant new element” which was unavailable when the decision was made.

The stewards decided that the team had failed to do so. “Accordingly, as there is no relevant new element, the petition is rejected,” they said in a written ruling.

The penalty left Norris 57 points behind triple world champion Verstappen, who finished third, with five rounds of the championship remaining including Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

McLaren is leading Red Bull by 40 points in the constructors’ championship.