FIA Issues Penalty to Lando Norris at Bahrain Grand Prix Following Verstappen D…read more.
In a dramatic turn of events at the Bahrain Grand Prix, McLaren driver Lando Norris has been handed a time penalty by the FIA following a controversial incident involving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The penalty comes after stewards reviewed footage of the on-track altercation, which occurred during a heated battle for position early in the race.
According to the FIA’s statement, Norris was deemed to have forced Verstappen off the racing line while defending aggressively into Turn 4, leading to minor contact between the two cars. Although both drivers were able to continue, Verstappen reported over team radio that Norris’s maneuver was “over the limit.”
The stewards launched an immediate investigation, and after the race, they concluded that Norris was predominantly at fault. As a result, he has received a 5-second time penalty, which drops him from P5 to P7 in the final classification. The penalty also adds two penalty points to Norris’s license.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that Norris was “racing hard but fair” and that the team would consider appealing the ruling. Verstappen, who went on to finish second behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, avoided further damage and called the incident “just hard racing.”
This penalty could have significant implications for the early championship standings, as every point is crucial in what’s shaping up to be a tightly contested season. More updates to follow as the situation develops.
