Lando Norris didn't 'divebomb' Sergio Perez so why the penalty? - McLaren

Austrian Grand Prix

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Norris didn't 'divebomb' Perez so why the penalty? - McLaren

Norris lost second-place whilst serving his penalty

Sam Hall

Tuesday 6 July 2021 16:30

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has declared himself dumbfounded by Lando Norris' penalty during the Austrian Grand Prix after claiming his driver did not 'divebomb' Sergio Perez.

Norris was handed a five-second penalty for running Red Bull driver Perez off the track at turn four as the race resumed following an early safety car period.

Although Perez ended up in the gravel and dropped to 10th, Norris, Seidl and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner all believed the moment to be hard racing.

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“I don’t understand why he gets a penalty there," said Seidl. "That is, for me, racing. It is racing we all want to see and I don’t think Lando did anything wrong.

“It was, in addition, at the beginning of the race where everyone needs to settle. He was just going on his racing line, he didn’t do anything stupid, some divebombing or whatever.

“He was always parallel to him or even slightly ahead of Checo so honestly, I don’t understand.

"I also don’t understand why, for example, a driver steward doesn’t bring more [of his experience] across what is actually going on there in this first race lap for a driver."

Despite trying to comprehend the matter, Seidl added: “It doesn’t change anything if I understand it or not. It is just frustrating.”

Even karters would not have tried Perez move

At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Norris picked up three penalty points for failing to return to the pits when the red flags were shown in Q1.

In response to this, FIA race director Michael Masi commented "a six-year-old, who’s in their first karting event" is aware of these regulations.

Picking up on the remark, Seidl said: "I would say, to speak in Michael’s words, every go-kart driver knows that if you go there, to the outside, on the first race lap then you will end up in the gravel and you can’t complain about the guy that was on the racing line.

“It’s a shame because it probably cost us P2. In addition, Lando gets two penalty points for something like that which brings him closer to getting a race ban.

"To be honest, it is something I think needs further thought overall [to decide] if that is the right system we have in place here."

Norris currently has 10 penalty points on his licence, with 12 allowed in a 12-month period. Two points, however, will be expunged before the British GP.