Max Verstappen has shown no sympathy for McLaren’s protests over Lando Norris’ penalty during the United States Grand Prix, brushing off the team’s complaints in his usual forthright manner. Norris was handed a five-second time penalty for overtaking Verstappen outside track limits at Turn 12, a decision that cost the British driver a podium finish. Despite both drivers going off track during the incident, Verstappen defended the stewards’ ruling, dismissing McLaren’s arguments.
“I mean, they complain about a lot lately anyway,” Verstappen said when asked if he understood McLaren’s frustration. “But it’s very clear in the rules—outside the white line, you cannot pass. I’ve been done for it as well in the past.”
The Red Bull driver was quick to recall his own experience with track limits penalties, referencing a similar incident at the 2017 US GP, where he lost a podium after overtaking Kimi Räikkönen off track. “I think it’s quite clear: you can’t overtake outside the white line,” he reiterated.
Despite the penalty dispute, Verstappen reflected positively on the battle with Norris, saying, “I still really enjoyed that battle that we had.” He remained calm throughout the situation, choosing to focus on bringing his Red Bull home despite struggling with tire performance.
The controversy overshadowed the race’s opening moments, where Verstappen made an aggressive dive down the inside at Turn 1, forcing both himself and Norris wide. While the Dutchman briefly lost a place to Charles Leclerc, he downplayed the impact on his race.
“There was a gap on the inside, so I went for it,” Verstappen explained. “That corner is very wide, so it gives you a lot of opportunity to go very wide or try to go really tight. I chose that option, and I still came out second.”
Ultimately, Verstappen could not match Ferrari’s pace, as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz drove to a dominant 1-2 finish. “I did hope for a little bit more performance today,” he admitted. “We were just not that good. I need to understand why, because I don’t know at the moment.”
Though he couldn’t challenge for the win, Verstappen extended his championship lead over Norris to a commanding 57 points, taking a major step toward clinching his fourth title. For McLaren, the frustration lingers after seeing their driver penalized in a race where he seemed poised to claim a strong result.
