FIA stewards reject McLaren's F1 inspection rights over incident between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen

MEXICO CITY – McLaren's attempt to get stewards to review the controversial incident between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, including Norris' penalty, at the United States Grand Prix has been rebuffed.

The stewards met on Friday an hour after the conclusion of FP1 in Mexico City and discussed the Woking-based team's right to review. Norris was criticized for leaving the track and gaining an advantage when he overtook Verstappen outside the track limits late in the race. This moment and the subsequent penalty led to numerous drivers commenting on the lack of clarity in the racing rules as well as a lack of continuity with the stewards.

The key to a right of review is that the evidence must be new, significant, relevant and unavailable to the team at the time the decision is made. All four criteria must be met in order for the stewards to reconsider their decision on the penalty.

McLaren said in a statement on Thursday: “We believe there is an important and new element that was not available to us at the time of the decision.”

However, those responsible noted that “there is no relevant new element.”

McLaren's evidence was the decision document. According to the stewards, the claim “contained a statement that was false and demonstrated that the stewards had made an objective, measurable and demonstrable error.” The United States Grand Prix decision document stated: “Car 4 overtook Car 1 on the outside, was but not at the same height as car 1 at the apex.”

McLaren considered this a mistake because there was “evidence that car 4 had already overtaken and was in the braking zone ahead of car 1,” according to the stewards’ decision on Friday.

McLaren argued this was technically significant, relevant, new and not available to the Woking-based team at the time. However, the stewards focused on the relevant element when making their decision. The judges said that the claim that there was an error in the original decision document was “untenable” and did not count as a new element, leading to the withdrawal of the right of review.

Norris' penalty was seen as controversial due to Verstappen's driving style, which has previously been questioned. Both drivers went off the track and Norris overtook when they were outside the track limits. Neither made the corner and the McLaren driver was left with little space.

“He did what I thought was right, I did what I thought was right,” Norris said Thursday. “I still disagree, and I think as a team we still disagree. I think the majority of viewers didn’t agree with the punishment I received.”

The stewards' decision sets a precedent for hard racing and overtaking maneuvers. Verstappen's maneuver, which was questioned after the US GP, is a legal move.

“I think personally I'm really interested in whether or not the FIA ​​thinks that Max should have been punished for what he did after reviewing everything again,” said George Russell on Thursday before the right of review was filed. “In my opinion he should have been punished, so there is really no loophole. If they say based on our rules that he should not have been punished, then he is exploiting a loophole.”

Luke Smith of The Athletic contributed to this story.

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(Photo: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty Images)