The penalties received by Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in recent races have raised quite a few eyebrows. Why was Norris penalized with 5 seconds in Austin, while Verstappen in Mexico received a 10-second penalty twice? The difference lies in the specific circumstances.
Austin: 5-Second Penalty for Norris
In Austin, Norris received a 5-second penalty for overtaking Verstappen off the track in the closing stages of the race. During this overtaking maneuver, Norris was said to have gone off the track to secure the position. The stewards judged the incident as a violation of the track limits, but they did take into account the way Verstappen defended, which mitigated the penalty. These circumstances thus played a role in imposing the relatively light penalty on the McLaren driver.
Mexico: Verstappen Receives Double Penalty
A week later, in Mexico, the situation was quite different for Max Verstappen. In the opening phase of the race, he made contact with Norris twice, allegedly pushing his competitor off the track. This first occurred in turn 4 and then again in turn 7. These actions resulted in two 10-second penalties for Verstappen, significantly affecting his race.
The FIA confirmed to Motorsport.com that such maneuvers are typically penalized with 10 seconds, especially when they involve aggressive actions off the track. According to the FIA, the difference between the penalties in Austin and Mexico lies in the severity of the actions.
Has Verstappen Been Treated More Severely?
The heavier penalty level for Verstappen has raised the question of whether the Dutchman was possibly treated more harshly than Norris a week earlier. Helmut Marko even suggested that the penalty could have been a response to the incidents in Austin. However, the FIA has refuted this and emphasized that Verstappen’s actions in Mexico were more serious than the incident in Austin. With this, the FIA aims to send a clear signal that they will act against aggressive driving and overtaking maneuvers that are on the edge, or just over it.
