Qatar GP: Lando Norris confused by 10-second cease/go penalty for rushing underneath yellow flags

Lando Norris says he didn’t see any yellow flags after he was given a 10-second cease/go penalty on the Qatar Grand Prix, which noticed his possibilities of beating Max Verstappen vanish.

Norris was chasing Verstappen in a tense lead battle when he speeded via double waved yellow flags for particles on the principle straight.

The McLaren driver recovered to tenth place, plus the bonus level for quickest lap, following his harsh penalty.

“Honestly, I don’t know what I’ve done wrong at the minute,” Norris advised Sky Sports activities F1.

“Apparently I didn’t slow under the yellow. I’m not an idiot, if I knew there was a yellow, I would have slowed down. I don’t know if I’ve missed it or just been dumb, but the rule is, if you don’t slow down under the yellow that’s the penalty, so it’s a fair penalty.”

Norris’ penalty and misfortune for Oscar Piastri with the timing of his pit cease, meant Charles Leclerc took second so Ferrari reduce their deficit within the Constructors’ Championship to 21 factors to McLaren.

McLaren are nonetheless favourites to win that title for the primary time since 1998 however Norris says Sunday’s race was a “missed opportunity”.

“The team gave me a great car, so I’m thankful for the team,” he mentioned.

“Disappointed that I couldn’t have done a worse job than I did and not give them the points they deserved.

“So I’ve made the job of the workforce a lot more durable than it must be. The workforce are doing a terrific job however I’ve allow them to down.”

Stella: We have now misplaced any sense of proportionality with penalty

The penalty additionally ends in Norris being solely eight factors forward of Leclerc within the battle for runners-up within the Drivers’ Championship forward of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Ten-second cease/go penalties are uncommon in F1 and Andrea Stella was bewildered by the severity of the penalty.

“We checked the data. Effectively Lando stays flat out,” the McLaren workforce principal defined to Sky Sports activities F1.

“We have to say that the sector appeared yellow as soon as Lando had entered the sector, but the requirement is very clear, you need to lift and it’s the responsibility of the driver to recognise that you are in a yellow sector and you need to back off.”

He added: “And then in the application of the penalty, I think we have lost any sense of proportion, and any sense of specificity.

“Can we glance particularly on the infringement, on the degree of hazard related to the state of affairs and the very fact the yellow flag was eliminated?

“And then judge, using this kind of elements – proportion and specificity – rather than taking a look at any kind of rulebook, probably full of dust on top of it, and then apply it without any sense of critical approach.

“So from this standpoint, I feel there’s a chance to do higher from the FIA.”

The wing mirror from Williams’ Alex Albon which prompted the double waved yellow flags didn’t trigger a Security Automobile till Valtteri Bottas ran over it, then Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz suffered punctures.

The particles was on monitor for seven laps till a Security Automobile was lastly referred to as.

“At the same time, I think it’s quite peculiar that the yellow flag was deployed and then was removed but actually the situation in that sector was the same – there was debris on track,” mentioned Stella.

“At some time it deserved a yellow flag, and then a few seconds after, it didn’t, which is just unfortunate, I would say.”

Watch the ultimate race of the 2024 Components 1 season – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – stay this coming week on Sky Sports activities F1, with Sunday’s race at 1pm. Get Sky Sports activities F1 or stream with NOW