In yet another scandalous decision by Formula 1’s race stewards, Lando Norris was handed a contentious five-second penalty, costing him a hard-fought 3rd place finish at the 2024 United States Grand Prix. The penalty was the result of an intense battle between Norris and reigning champion Max Verstappen, where both drivers went off-track during a daring overtaking move by Norris. Once again, the judgment appears to favor Verstappen, further fueling suspicions that the race direction is giving the Dutchman a helping hand towards another world championship.
The move in question occurred late in the race as Norris, fighting tooth and nail to gain a podium spot, attempted a bold overtake on Verstappen. Both drivers were forced wide and went off-track, with Norris managing to complete the maneuver. However, the stewards deemed that Norris had gained an unfair advantage and slapped him with the five-second penalty, demoting him to 4th place and handing Verstappen the final podium position.
This decision has sparked outrage among fans and pundits alike, many of whom believe that Verstappen, once again, has been handed a free pass by the stewards. Norris himself was visibly furious, with McLaren and team principal Zak Brown also expressing disbelief over the ruling. Brown pointed out the inconsistency, referring to a similar incident in the sprint race where McLaren’s Oscar Piastri received a penalty, arguing that Verstappen should have been penalized as well.
“It’s the exact penalty that Oscar got yesterday,” Brown exclaimed, visibly frustrated by the ruling. The incident has left many questioning the fairness of the FIA’s decision-making process, with accusations of favoritism towards Verstappen overshadowing what should have been a thrilling conclusion to the race.
Verstappen’s Free Ride Continues?
This latest episode adds to the growing narrative that Verstappen seems to benefit from leniency when it comes to stewards’ decisions, raising concerns about the integrity of the championship. Verstappen’s aggressive driving in recent years has often been under scrutiny, but he appears to repeatedly avoid the harsh penalties imposed on other drivers for similar incidents.
Once again, the reigning champion walks away with a podium, while Norris, who put in a stellar performance throughout the weekend, sees his efforts go unrewarded. Fans took to social media to voice their displeasure, accusing the race direction of “carrying” Verstappen to yet another championship. With a comfortable lead in the standings and the stewards seemingly unwilling to penalize him for aggressive tactics, Verstappen’s path to a fourth consecutive title appears unchallenged.
Norris’ Title Hopes Dashed?
For Norris, this decision marks yet another bitter blow in his pursuit of the world championship. The young Brit has been in fine form this season and continues to push Verstappen at every opportunity. But with decisions like this going against him, it seems the title is slipping further out of reach. Norris, who initially crossed the line in third, had reason to believe his podium was secure—until the stewards intervened.
This penalty will surely fuel Norris’ frustration, as the gap between him and Verstappen widens, further damaging his chances of closing the deficit in the final races of the season.
The Fans’ Verdict: Enough Is Enough
The decision to penalize Norris has sparked a wave of criticism from F1 fans, many of whom are tired of seeing Verstappen seemingly escape penalties that other drivers are swiftly handed. Social media exploded with accusations of bias, with fans demanding more consistency and fairness from the FIA.
“Once again, Max gets away with it, while Lando pays the price,” one fan tweeted. Another chimed in, “How many more times will the stewards protect Verstappen before enough is enough?”
As the dust settles on this latest controversy, the FIA’s decision-making process will undoubtedly come under further scrutiny. For now, it seems that Norris will have to settle for 4th place while Verstappen enjoys yet another podium—this time, with a little help from the race stewards.
With the championship race heating up, all eyes will be on the FIA to see if they can restore faith in the fairness of their decisions. But for Norris and his fans, the damage has already been done.
