F1 News: McLaren boss explains why FIA REVERSED Lando Norris penalty

Lando Norris, Bahrain GP, McLaren, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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McLaren boss explains why FIA REVERSED Norris F1 penalty

Lando Norris took pole position for the first Sprint race of 2024

Yara Elshebiny

Friday 19 April 2024 14:01

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The Chinese Grand Prix delivered a dramatic sprint qualifying session on a soaked Shanghai International Circuit.

The sport's return to China after a five-year hiatus, combined with the significant regulation changes and lack of recent data, have turned Shanghai into a new track for this generation of F1 machinery.

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Lewis Hamilton initially appeared to have secured pole for the first sprint race of the season, with Lando Norris' final flying lap getting deleted for exceeding track limits.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the stewards reinstated the lap in the dying moments, handing the Norris the second Sprint pole of his career.

Despite this, seven-time champion Hamilton still managed a strong front-row start, while a resurgent Fernando Alonso lined up third for Aston Martin.

Championship leader Max Verstappen found himself down in fourth after twice going off track in Q3.

Norris claimed his second Sprint pole in China

McLaren boss reacts to FIA decision

Speaking to Sky Sports after the qualifying session, Andrea Stella offered his perspective on the controversial penalty reversal.

"We think it might have been because in the last before he went off at the last corner and they might have thought in this case, having been off at the last corner, it might have implications for the following lap which is the pole lap.

"That lap is completely clean, so there is no problem at all. It was reinstated by the FIA themselves.

"... because you go off at the last corner you go off at much lower speed and effectively Lando loses almost three 10ths because he has been off at the previous last corner."