The heated battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the US Grand Prix has reignited discussions about Formula 1’s racing rules, with former world champion Jenson Button leading the charge for change. Button, observing the fierce clash between the two drivers for third place, has called on the FIA to modify its regulations to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The drama unfolded during the second half of the race, with Lando Norris chasing down Max Verstappen in an intense multi-lap duel. On lap 52, Norris executed a move that briefly saw him ahead of the Red Bull driver, but the overtake occurred off-track. Verstappen held his line at the apex, resulting in Norris receiving a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage while off the circuit. Despite his best efforts, Norris couldn’t claw back the time, leaving him in fourth place as Verstappen secured the podium.
Button, who has seen his share of close racing throughout his F1 career, pointed out that this incident at Circuit of the Americas mirrors many others at the same corner, where drivers attempt overtakes only to push their rivals off the track. “If it was Monaco, they wouldn’t do that,” Button remarked, emphasizing that drivers use the ample run-off areas to gain an advantage in such situations. He urged the FIA to implement stricter regulations preventing drivers from forcing their competitors completely off the circuit.
“We need a rule that you cannot push another car completely off the track,” Button said. “I think we would have better racing, and we wouldn’t have to keep talking about this.”
Button’s frustrations echo similar concerns voiced by drivers and teams in previous seasons. Verstappen himself was involved in a comparable incident during the 2017 US Grand Prix, when he overtook Kimi Raikkonen off-track and was penalized, losing a podium finish.
Despite Button’s suggestions, Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull, defended the current regulations, arguing that the rules are clear, and drivers are aware of the consequences. Horner explained that Verstappen immediately recognized Norris’s move was illegal, even notifying his team over the radio.
“The rules are the rules. The drivers know that, and they’re driving accordingly,” Horner stated. “Max was acutely aware that as soon as Lando went over that white line, off track and overtook, that that’s illegal.”
Although the decision aligned with the FIA’s current rules, McLaren and Norris voiced their frustration, with the British driver standing by his belief that he shouldn’t have had to give the position back to Verstappen. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted that the situation was disappointing but acknowledged the difficulty in dealing with such penalties.
The incident has rekindled a familiar debate in F1 regarding overtaking etiquette and track limits. Button’s call for change, along with growing dissatisfaction among some teams, may lead to further discussions within the FIA on how to refine the rules to promote fairer racing and avoid ambiguous on-track battles in the future.
