McLaren Blast 'Inappropriate' Penalty As Lando Norris F1 Title Hopes Hit

McLaren team chief Andrea Stella blasted as "inappropriate" a controversial penalty handed to Lando Norris at the United States Grand Prix which could shatter his world title dream. Race stewards penalised Norris and relegated him to fourth behind three-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull after the pair clashed and ran off-track in the closing laps. A five-second penalty given to Norris, who finished third on track at the flag, pushed him back to fourth behind the series leader and dealt a blow in his bid to catch and pass the Dutch driver in this year's title race.

Norris was adjudged to have gained an advantage by running off the track when he swept outside Verstappen on lap 53 or the 56-lap race.

The incident cost Norris valuable points and helped lift Verstappen to a 57-point lead in the title race with 354 to Norris's 297 with five races left.

"My view is that the way the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate because both cars went off track so both cars gained an advantage," said McLaren team chief Andrea Stella.

"It's a shame because it cost us a podium, it cost us a race where we stayed patient after we were pushed off in the first lap, at the first corner. We accepted it.

"Having said very clearly our position, this kind of position by the stewards, this kind of decision cannot be appealed. For us the chapter is now closed and we move on to the next race.

"But both cars went off track so for us there was no doubt that the manoeuvre was correct."

Norris was philosophical about his plight after a feisty drive, having recovered from a poor first lap when he wasted his fourth pole in five races and fell to fourth.

"Not my best race," he said. "With the loss in turn one