McLaren has publicly expressed its discontent with the FIA’s recent ruling to reject their petition for a review of Lando Norris’ five-second penalty from the United States Grand Prix. The FIA determined that an error in their documentation did not constitute new evidence, which McLaren argued was critical to their case. The penalty was issued after Norris left the track while attempting to overtake Max Verstappen for third place, leading to an unfavorable race classification for the McLaren driver.
The incident unfolded on lap 52 when Norris attempted to pass Verstappen at Turn 12. Both drivers went off the track, but Norris managed to gain the position as he maintained his speed. Despite his maneuver, the stewards penalized him for gaining an advantage, resulting in his placement behind Verstappen in the final results. This decision had significant implications for Norris and the team, prompting McLaren to challenge the ruling.
In filing their petition for a right of review, McLaren had to fulfill four specific criteria outlined by the FIA: the evidence must be significant, relevant, new, and previously unavailable. McLaren’s primary argument rested on the claim that the stewards made an incorrect statement regarding Norris’s status as a defending driver when he briefly overtook Verstappen. They maintained that this detail was a vital aspect that had been overlooked during the initial decision-making process.
Despite these arguments, the FIA stewards ruled against McLaren, stating that the concept of an error in the written decision being classified as new evidence was not sustainable. This rejection upheld the original penalty and reinforced the stewards’ classification of the race results, leaving McLaren frustrated with the outcome.
In their official statement following the ruling, McLaren reiterated their disagreement with the FIA’s interpretation of what constitutes new evidence. They highlighted that the documentation revealing a measurable error in the stewards’ decision should be treated as an admissible element. The team expressed gratitude to the FIA for their prompt handling of the case and emphasized their intention to work closely with the FIA moving forward to address and better understand processes surrounding race classifications and penalties.