Max Verstappen has weighed in on the five-second penalty handed to Lando Norris during their fierce battle at the 2024 United States Grand Prix, recalling his own controversial sanction from the same track in 2017. Verstappen, who started on pole, lost the lead at Turn 1 and later found himself locked in a tough duel with Norris on lap 52. Both drivers ran off the track during the skirmish, but Norris was slapped with a penalty for gaining an advantage by overtaking Verstappen outside the track limits.
Reflecting on the incident, Verstappen expressed no sympathy for Norris, arguing the penalty was justified. He pointed out that he had faced a similar punishment at the US GP in 2017 when his last-lap overtake on Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari for third place saw him go off-track at Turn 17. The Dutchman was subsequently handed a five-second penalty for gaining an unfair advantage, which cost him a spot on the podium.
“I think it’s quite clear—you can’t overtake outside of the white line,” Verstappen said. “I mean, I got done for it here in 2017, so I lost my podium like that.”
Norris, on the other hand, defended his move, insisting that he had every reason to hold his position ahead of Verstappen. The McLaren driver felt justified in not giving back the place, even though the stewards saw it differently.
Despite the tight battle, Verstappen admitted the race was challenging, with tire degradation and the evolving track conditions making it difficult to maintain pace. “I just remained calm, tried to do the best I could after that to bring the car to the end because it was not easy with the tires and the situation that I was in. But overall, I still really enjoyed that battle.”
The US Grand Prix also saw Verstappen lose ground early on, as he fought Norris into the first corner. As they tussled, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc capitalized, seizing the lead while the two contenders went wide. Ultimately, Verstappen secured second place, finishing ahead of Norris but behind Leclerc, who took the top spot.
“There was a gap on the inside, so I went for it. That corner is very wide, so it gives you a lot of opportunities to go very wide or try to go really tight. I chose for that option, and I still came out second. This time it was Charles in front,” Verstappen explained.
The race marked a significant improvement for Red Bull after recent struggles, with the team introducing new upgrades that aligned with their expectations. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner highlighted that the result was in line with their performance goals for the weekend.
For Norris, the penalty was a harsh blow, but Verstappen’s experience from 2017 served as a reminder that even small errors outside track limits can have major consequences. Both drivers will now look ahead, with the championship battle continuing to heat up as the season progresses.
