“It was a slam dunk”: Christian Horner seconds Lando Norris’ penalty against Max Verstappen at COTA

Christian Horner believes that Lando Norris’ penalty for overtaking Max Verstappen off-track in the 2024 US Grand Prix was straightforward. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, after the race, the Red Bull Racing CEO explained that if Norris had given the place back, the penalty could have been avoided.

While McLaren team principal Andrea Stella expressed frustration at the stewards for a hasty decision, Horner saw it differently. In the duel, both cars went wide, but Norris overtook Verstappen off-track and didn’t return the position, resulting in a five-second penalty and a demotion to fourth place.

Horner felt that the stewards’ decision was clear and timely. He acknowledged McLaren’s disappointment but pointed out that Red Bull and Verstappen have been similarly penalized in the past. However, he admitted that the wheel-to-wheel duel between Norris and Verstappen was exciting and well worth the watch.

When asked by Sportskeeda if the stewards should have decided on the incident after the race, especially with a championship at stake, Horner said:

“No, I think it was a slam dunk, and the problem is, again, we then have the arguments of you want the right people on the podium. So you know, you have this- It’s been happened so many times that I actually think the stewards dealt with it pretty rapidly and decently today.”

Expressing his opinion on the maneuver made by Norris, Horner said:

“Look, I think, first of all, the racing between the two of them was competitive and great to watch. And obviously all the drivers know acutely what the rules are. They discuss these issues in particular corners in the briefings with the various stewards and driver stewards and race directors. So look, the pass was made off track, we've been on the receiving end of that, in fact here, I think against Kimi for 2018 even. So for us it was crystal clear that the pass had been made off the track. So you know he should have given the place back, he chose not to, so therefore there was a penalty. So for us it was a very much a black and white scenario.”

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Christian Horner believes stewards have to review overtaking incidents case by case

Christian Horner believes that stewards need to review incidents on a case-by-case basis, as each situation is different. During the USGP weekend, multiple drivers were penalized for forcing others off track, often penalizing the driver on the inside. However, in McLaren’s case, it was the driver on the outside, Lando Norris, who received the penalty, sparking debate over consistency in stewarding.

Horner empathized with McLaren’s disappointment but pointed out that Norris could have avoided the penalty by giving the place back to Verstappen. He added that Norris, with his pace advantage, would have had another opportunity to overtake in the following corners. According to the Red Bull Racing CEO, both stewards and drivers understand the stakes when such incidents occur.

When asked by Sportskeeda if he was satisfied with the consistency of the stewards on similar incidents throughout the race, Horner said:

“I think it's very difficult for the stewards and every incident is different. So you have to look at every incident individually and you know there's when you're on the receiving end of it it's not nice. You know as I say, we’ve been on the receiving end of it numerous times not just at this track but even at other tracks. So you know they all know what's at stake. What I perhaps didn't understand was it was it was clear there was going to be a penalty or it looked pretty clear there was going to be a penalty. With the car advantage the entire advantage that McLaren had, at that point of the race it looked like he went to give the place back up at turn one, but there was some confusion there.”

The debate over overtaking maneuvers and stewarding decisions is likely to continue at the Mexican GP weekend. Following the USGP result, Red Bull has narrowed the gap to McLaren by one point in the constructors’ championship, while Max Verstappen extended his lead to 52 points in the drivers’ standings. Despite this, Red Bull faces a tough challenge ahead, as they need to close the gap to McLaren and defend against Ferrari, who are just eight points behind them.