Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix: ‘Harmful’ Max Verstappen slated as Lando Norris battle boils over with penalties in hectic race

Max Verstappen was slammed as “dangerous” and “ridiculous” for his driving on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix after his battle with a fed-up Lando Norris reached boiling level, with McLaren boss Zak Brown insisting “enough is enough”.

Precisely per week after a contentious struggle in Austin the place Norris was penalised, Verstappen was handed two 10-second penalties for his actions in wheel-to-wheel fight with the British driver in Mexico and finally completed sixth, 4 locations behind his title rival.

“He got what he had coming to him,” mentioned Norris, who has now reduce Verstappen’s title result in 47 factors with 4 rounds remaining.

Each of this Sunday’s incidents occurred on Lap 10, as Verstappen first compelled Norris off at Flip 4 – the McLaren crucially forward on the apex earlier than being left no room – after which dived up the within of the high-speed Flip Eight when attempting to regain second place, seeing each vehicles off the monitor, virtually colliding.

“This guy is dangerous,” Norris complained on workforce radio afterwards. “I just had to avoid a crash, the same as last time. I’ll be in the wall in a minute.”

The stewards adjudged Verstappen to be within the incorrect on each events, handing out two 10-second penalties – as a substitute of the standard 5 seconds for racing incidents – which the Pink Bull driver served within the pits to primarily drop him out of competition.

Verstappen was additionally handed two penalty factors on his tremendous licence post-race, for the Flip 4 incident, which places him onto six factors over the 12-month interval. If a driver reaches 12 factors, they are going to be banned for a race.

“[The penalties were] probably not enough,” McLaren CEO Brown informed Sky Sports activities F1 earlier than the penalty factors have been introduced.

“I mean, it’s getting a bit ridiculous. I applaud the FIA stewards. Enough is enough. Let’s just have some good clean racing moving forwards.”

Carlos Sainz gained the race, with Ferrari leapfrogging Pink Bull within the constructors’ standings.

The view from Norris and McLaren: ‘Too far’

For McLaren, it was clear they felt Verstappen was lastly adequately punished for what was, in Norris’ phrases, on “another level” to anything he had seen racing the three-time world champion to this point this season.

“The stewards did a good job this weekend,” added Brown, with the stewards set to fulfill with drivers in Qatar to debate racing pointers transferring ahead.

“I think the stewards are on it, I think that’s clear by the penalties that were given.”

Norris mentioned instantly after the race that he “was ready to expect something like this” after the drama of the USA, and continued to Sky Sports activities F1: “I respect Max loads in what he does, how he races, all of this stuff, and I sit up for having good battles with him.

“I want to have them; it makes me smile and it’s what I love about racing and why I kind of do it in a way. But things like today, it’s a bit too far. We both could be out of the race, and I don’t think that’s how you should race.

“Possibly some folks will disagree and say I am incorrect however I feel in the present day was a step too far and I feel Max will know that, I hope, and we are able to then go forward to simply have some extra clear, honest battles as a result of I sit up for them.”

He also explained how Verstappen’s – albeit weaker than pre-Sunday – title position affects his mentality.

“It does not matter if he finishes first or second, he solely desires to beat me. And he’ll sacrifice himself to try this,” he said. “He is in a really highly effective place, he is a good distance forward with nothing to lose.”

The view from Verstappen and Pink Bull: Penalties ‘harmful territory’

Whereas the often combative – on and off-track – Verstappen was actually stunned on workforce radio when informed of his penalties, he did not provide a lot of a defence when requested in regards to the incident post-race.

“The problem is, when you’re slower, you’re being put into those kind of positions. I’m not going to give up easily,” Verstappen informed Sky Sports activities F1, switching the dialog to Pink Bull’s lack of tempo.

“At the end of the day it’s also not about agreeing or disagreeing with the penalties – the only thing is 20 seconds is quite a lot – but the biggest problem of today and also what I worry about is the race pace. It was really not good and is something we need to analyse. Even without those penalties, we had no chance at all to fight at the front.

“I am not frightened [about the title]. This was a very dangerous race for us however I additionally know we are able to do significantly better than this so we’ll simply preserve going at it.”

Staff boss Christian Horner additionally did not get into the specifics of the penalties, however did say such harsh penalties set a “dangerous” precedent transferring forwards.

“The problem is, I think we’re going to get into very dangerous territory of, at what point is a dive bomb going to be OK?

“I feel, actually, the FIA and the drivers want to take a seat down and resolve what is appropriate and what is not. I assumed two 10-second [penalties] was a bit on the tough facet in the present day.

“You’ve always got to play to the rules. We’ll look and learn from this race, but more for us today was that we just didn’t have the pace. That’s where our focus will be in the next five days.”

Brundle: ‘Outrageous’ Verstappen ‘well past the restrict’

Sky Sports activities F1’s Martin Brundle on Verstappen vs Norris in Mexico:

“That was outrageous. [The Turn 8 incident] is just a red mist moment, and actually a ridiculous moment. He took the pair of them off, and he was lucky he didn’t get a drive-through penalty or something.

“I am so in awe of Max, and I hate it when he does that type of factor. He is higher than that. He is too good.

“I think he’s carrying frustration because he’s got the third fastest car at the moment. We know he’s feisty, and we know he’s aggressive – and that’s what you want, we’re about that – but there is a limit. That second incident was way past the limit.

“If he retains getting penalties, he’ll need to tame it.”

Formula 1’s Americas triple header concludes this weekend with the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with every session live on Sky Sports F1. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime