McLaren lodge a right to review for the Max Verstappen-Lando Norris incident at the F1 US GP

The McLaren F1 team has lodged a right to review for the incident involving Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the 2024 US Grand Prix last weekend. The two championship contenders were involved in an intense battle for the final podium position in the latter half of the race.

The British driver had a six-lap tire advantage over the three-time reigning world champion and tried his best to get past the Red Bull driver. After multiple attempts, Norris was able to move past Verstappen with five laps remaining. But it was deemed that he overtook the Dutch driver outside of the track and was duly given a 5-second penalty, meaning he finished behind Verstappen.

McLaren and Norris debated the stewards' decision after the race as they believed that the 24-year-old was pushed off the track by Max Verstappen. Ahead of the Mexican GP this weekend, the Woking-based outfit lodged a 'Right to Review' on the incident as they seek clarification on the rule from the FIA.

The 'Right to Review' is a two-stage process and would only move forward into the second stage after the new evidence presented by the team is deemed to be relevant. McLaren in their statement wrote, via The Race:

“McLaren confirms it has submitted a petition for a review relating to the decision to penalize Lando with a 5-second penalty at the 2024 United States Grand Prix, for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage, which we believe to be unfair."

“We believe there is a significant and new element that was unavailable to us at the time the decision was made. We have submitted the relevant paperwork to the FIA and will issue no further comment while this process is ongoing."

McLaren team boss gives his take on its 'right to review' protest to FIA

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella stated that he wasn't too confident about their chances of overturning the decision and would be unlikely to succeed. He told the media:

“I don't think new and relevant information exists because the only evidence that we have used so far to assess our interpretation, which is in disagreement with the stewards, is what is already available. If you open up the right of review I don't think it will ever be successful because you don't need new evidence, it's just a matter of interpretation.”

In his pre-race interviews at Mexico City, Lando Norris stated that he believed he wasn't in the wrong for the incident while recognizing that Max Verstappen races hard. He claimed neither he nor the Red Bull driver should have been penalized for their on-track battle at the Circuit of Americas last Sunday.