F1 News: Norris penalty U-turn explained by McLaren chief: 'There's no problem at all'

Norris during practice at Shanghai — Photo: © IMAGO

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Norris penalty U-turn explained by McLaren chief: 'There's no problem at all'

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

Originally written by Yara Elshebiny. This version is a translation.

Friday 19 April 2024 16:00

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

F1's return to China after a five-year hiatus, combined with the significant regulation changes and lack of recent data, meant the drivers were essentially tackling a brand-new circuit.

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Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton initially appeared to have secured pole for the first sprint race of the 2024 season, with 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 McLaren driver his second Sprint pole in his career.

Lando Norris claimed his second Sprint pole position in his career 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.

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

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes F1 Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai International Circuit