Max Verstappen F1 News: Lando Norris HITS BACK at snitch claims following Azerbaijan GP incident

Max Verstappen

Norris HITS BACK at snitch claims following Verstappen incident

Lando Norris has been accused of snitching on his rival

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 17 September 2024 21:00

McLaren star Lando Norris has hit back at claims that he 'snitched' on Red Bull star Max Verstappen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

With the race in Baku ending under virtual safety car conditions, Verstappen alongside a number of other drivers, was placed under investigation by the FIA for overtaking cars when he should not have been.

The VSC was brought out after a dramatic crash between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez saw both fly into the wall on the penultimate lap of the grand prix.

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Norris' team-mate Oscar Piastri was the eventual race-winner, leading home Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Max Verstappen was placed under investigation in Baku

McLaren took the lead in the constructors' championship with a P1 and P4 finish for their drivers

Why was Max Verstappen investigated in Baku?

Onboard footage depicted the Red Bull star driving past the pair, motioning a thumbs up in a harmless incident.

However, the sporting regulations state that no overtaking is allowed during VSC conditions in case a marshal or emergency equipment is brought onto the track to attend to the incident.

In the end, Verstappen, and the three other drivers in question all received warnings, with similar situations having occurred before but not coming to the attention of the stewards, affording the four leniency.

Max Verstappen overtook George Russell and Lando Norris under VSC conditions

It was Norris who spotted Verstappen’s overtake, and reported the fact to his team via his radio, leading to accusations that he snitched on his championship rival.

Norris was keen to stress after the race, however, that he was just stating what he had seen and not snitching.

“I didn’t complain about anything, I just stated facts,” Norris said to F1TV.

“I just had VSC on my dash with the yellow lights. Obviously, there was a crash with paramedics on track which normally means no overtaking but he was overtaking.

“So I questioned it, I quizzed it to my team because I didn’t think you were allowed to overtake but maybe I’m wrong.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Lando Norris Azerbaijan Grand Prix