Despite finishing P2, behind Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, McLaren Racing’s Lando Norris has stated that he is “very, very pleased” with his performance during the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix Race, especially after the Lap 10 incidents between himself and title-rival Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing.
Despite starting P2, Verstappen took an early lead in the race after storming past Sainz into Turn 1 of the first lap. He was, however, unable to capitalize on this, as the race was almost immediately neutralised after the Safety Car was brought out in response to a disastrous collision between Williams Racings’ Alexander Albon and Visa Cash App RB’s Yuki Tsunoda which saw both drivers out of the race after sustaining heavy damage to both cars.
Though the Dutchman would control the restart of the race well to deny Sainz a tow or the possibility of an immediate overtake along the main straight after the Safety Car left the track, he was able to match the pace of Sainz’s SF-24, and just one lap later, would be overtaken by Sainz following a late lunge by the Spaniard with DRS enables.
While Sainz’s overtake on Verstappen forced the three-time world champion to surrender his lead of the race, it also dropped him into the clutches of Norris, who had been able to keep ahead of Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc to hold on to third place.
With Norris’ MCL38 significantly outpacing Verstappen’s RB20, the Dutchman soon found himself under attack from the Briton. After almost three laps of fierce battle between the two drivers, Norris, on Lap 10, attempted to lunge past Verstappen around the outside of Turn 4. Verstappen, however, refused to yield the position and, after drifting wide, forced Norris off the track.
This was the first of two significant incidents between the two drivers. After a review of the available evidence, the stewards, as described in the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix Document 47, judged Verstappen as having breached Appendix L, Chapter IV, Article 2 b) of the FIA International Sporting Code. The Dutchman was subsequently handed a 10-second time penalty, to be served at his next pit stop, and issued two penalty points on his FIA super licence. In their decision
In the justification of their decision, the stewards, as presented in Document 47, stated that Norris had been ahead of Verstappen “at the entry, apex and towards the exit” of Turn 4, and would have been able to complete his manoeuvre against Verstappen on the track in a “safe and controlled manner” had Verstappen not forced him off.
While the stewards also acknowledged that Norris had returned to the track ahead of Sainz, they stated that Norris would not be penalised as he had immediately ceded the position to Sainz, thereby surrendering any advantage gained over Sainz.
Verstappen was also issued another 10-second time penalty for an incident between himself and Norris into Turn 8 of the same lap. As noted by the stewards in Document 44:
“Following the incident in Turn 4, Verstappen attempted to pass Norris on the inside at Turn 8.”
While the stewards noted that Verstappen had been ahead at the apex of Turn 8, they stated that he had been unable to complete the manoeuvre on the track and was therefore not allowed to keep the advantage that he had gained over Norris, especially as the stewards deemed Verstappen as having forced Norris off the track. Verstappen was therefore found to be in breach of both Appendix L Chapter IV Article 2 c) of the FIA International Sporting Code and Article 33.3 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations and handed the standard penalty.
Though the Red Bull driver would remain ahead of Norris until he was brought into the pits for his change onto the hard compound tyre, his combined 20-second penalty and a slower-than-expected pit stop resulted in him dropping to the back of the grid, though he would ultimately finish P6.
Norris, however, was able to hold on to the P3 position vacated by Verstappen, and in the final laps of the race, eventually overtook Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to claim P2, earning himself 18 points and decreasing the points gap between himself and Verstappen to 47 points.
While speaking with the media during the post-race press conference, Norris stated that while he was normally not content with a P2 finish, he was happy to have achieved the result, especially after the first laps of the race where “things had looked like they could go a lot worse.”
“Very, very pleased. I’m happy with P2. Normally I wouldn’t be, but I think on a day like today, I was happy. Things looked like they could go a lot worse, especially the first part of the race. So, to keep the car in one piece and to kind of keep the race alive was important.”
However, he admitted that it was “a shame” that he had lost as much time as he had during his battle with Verstappen as he believed that his strong pace could have improved his opportunities, despite Sainz’s dominant performance throughout the race.
“And the pace was extremely strong you know. A shame that we lost so much in the first stint with some of the battles that we had. If I was a bit more in there and in the mix, then I think our opportunities could have been even better.”
“But Carlos drove the first stint very well and the gap was already 15 seconds, so I had a lot to try and catch up. But it was a good race. The car was strong.”
“Our pace, especially in the second stint, not really the first, but the second stint was very, very good and kind of gave me a bit of hope again that we were competitive comparing to the Ferraris. Until then… They’ve been pretty dominant this weekend, you know, so a good race.”
“Would have loved to be on the top step and it looks like a cool podium here. It was a cool podium, but I’m very satisfied with the P2.”
When asked to describe the incidents between himself and Verstappen, Norris claimed that he did not need to say too much about them as the matter was “self-explanatory.”
“I don’t think I need to say much. Yeah, I think it’s pretty self-explanatory on what happened.”
While he appeared to criticise Verstappen for not following the sports’ rules and guidelines, the McLaren driver stated that he was not surprised to have had a tough battle with Verstappen.
“You know, I did everything I’ve been told in terms of what the rules are and the guidelines and all of this stuff, yet it just wasn’t to be. And, of course, he got some penalties for that.”
“But, you know, I think… I always, like I said before in some of the interviews, I go into every race expecting a tough battle with Max.”
He noted the Dutchman’s competitive nature and highlighted Verstappen’s willingness to “sacrifice himself” to give himself every advantage over Norris in their championship fight.
“It’s clear that it doesn’t matter if he wins or second, his only job is to beat me in the race. And he’ll sacrifice himself to do that, like he did today.”
Despite this, Norris stated that he wanted to continue having tough but good battles with Verstappen. However, he emphasised the need for them to maintain fairness when competing, even when “on the line.”
“But I want to have good battles with him. I want to have those tough battles, like I’ve seen him have plenty of times. But fair ones.”
“It’s always going to be on the line.”
While he acknowledged that Verstappen would never “make anyone’s life easy,” he stated that he did not view the incidents between them as “fair and clean racing. He added that he believed that Verstappen had “got what he had coming to him.”
It’s always going to be tough with Max. He’s never going to make anyone’s life easy, especially mine at this point of the year.”
“But I think today was just… It was not fair, clean racing. And therefore, I think he got what he had coming to him.”
Despite this response, Norris was later asked to clarify whether he had been planning to allow Verstappen to overtake him into Turn 7 before their Turn 8 incident, as Verstappen had appeared to be attempting an overtake down the inside.
Norris denied having had any intention of allowing Verstappen past him, stating that he had been ahead of Verstappen at the apex of Turn 4, and had only gone off track to avoid a collision between himself and Verstappen. He claimed that as the situation had been the same at Turn 7, he had had no responsibility to yield his position, despite Verstappen’s challenge,
“I mean, you can see how far he went off the track. Yeah, I didn’t need to let Max through. I was ahead at the apex of 4. I had to avoid him crashing into me, and then 7 was the same thing again.”
However, Norris took issue with Verstappen overtaking off the track, especially as Verstappen had claimed that he drove according to the rules of the sport after the controversial incident between them during the United States Grand Prix race.
“The thing is, what I didn’t understand, like what didn’t come earlier, was he overtook off the track. It wasn’t that it was… I mean, it was also overly aggressive and those types of things, but he overtook off the track. I don’t know what the wording of the penalties are and those types of things, but, yeah, I mean, he says he drives to the rules. That was his main thing he said after last weekend, and today he took by going forwards off the track.”
“We’ll see. Max will be back next weekend and I expect just more tough battles.”
When asked if Verstappen had been harsher with him during Sunday’s race than during the United States Grand Prix race, Norris replied, “Probably, yes.”
When asked about the psychological impact that the penalty decisions had had on him, especially after Verstappen had gone unpenalized for similar incidents in both Austria and Austin, Norris stated that he did not think that his happiness was related to that, as he did not think that penalties had been deserved for either himself or Verstappen during either the Austrian or United States Grands Prix.
“I mean, I’m not happy today because of that. I’m happy because I’m P2, but… Austria, no one should have got a penalty, I don’t think, I would say.”
“Yeah, maybe some of my views are a little bit different now than what they were back then. Austria, I don’t think anyone should have got a penalty.”
“Austin, I don’t think anyone should have got a penalty. Yeah, let’s say we both kind of did things wrong. I feel like I was made to do something wrong, and I wouldn’t say I…”
With respect to the incident during the United States Grand Prix and the penalty handed to him as a result, he expressed that “the majority of drivers” agreed with his view that the penalty should not have been awarded. He claimed that the “common consensus” over the penalty decision being incorrect was the cause of recent speculation over upcoming changes to the regulations.
“The majority of people, the majority of drivers feel like that was the same thing. That’s why you’ve heard of some of the rule changes that might be coming and those types of things. It’s because there’s a common consensus that it wasn’t correct what happened in the result that I had last weekend.”
However, Norris claimed that the Lap 10 incidents between himself and Verstappen had been “another level on both those cases” and while he said that he could not speak for Verstappen, he expressed his belief that Verstappen had taken things “a step too far” at both Turn 4 and Turn 8.
“Today, I think, was another level on both of those cases. Yeah, it was another level on both. I was ahead of Max in the braking zone, past the apex. I am avoiding crashing today. This is the difference.”
“I can’t speak for him, and maybe he’ll say something different. But I think today was a step too far from both of those, and it was clear that the Stewards agreed with that.”
“So I don’t see it as a win or anything like this, but it’s more that I hope Max acknowledges that he took it a step too far.”
Norris was also asked whether he spoke to Verstappen about such on-track incidents between them, and while the Briton stated that he and Verstappen talked “about different things”, he expressed that it was not his job to discuss Verstappen’s on-track behaviour with him, despite the impact that it had had on his race.
“I mean, we talk about different things. It’s not my job. it’s got nothing to do with me in a way.”
“Today I felt like I just had to avoid collisions and that’s not what you feel like you want to do in a race.”
This, he claimed, was especially so given their battle for the 2024 World Drivers’ Championship (WDC) title, as he had to focus on his own performances to maximise his chances for the title. He reiterated that it was not his job to control Verstappen and expressed that he believed Verstappen to be experienced enough to understand that his behaviour during the race had likely been “a bit over the limit.”
“He’s in a very powerful position in the championship. He’s a long way ahead. He has nothing to lose.”
“People can say it’s the other way around, like he’s got everything to lose and it’s all for me. But it’s not the case, you know.”
“So, it’s not for me. I’m focused on myself. I’m doing my own job, which was a good job today. And I’m happy with all of this and I’m happy with my whole weekend.”
“But it’s not my job to control him. He knows how to drive. And I’m sure he knows that today was probably a bit over the limit.”
While Norris acknowledged that he had taken 10 points out of Verstappen’s lead, he stated that he was still far behind the Dutchman in the standings. However, he reiterated that he and his team would continue to focus on themselves and their performances in the upcoming races, despite the variables against them.
“I mean, I’m 47 behind still, so it doesn’t feel like I’m much closer than what I was, but every point helps. Charles got fastest lap at the end, so that’s one point they took away from me, but… Yeah, I don’t know.”
“I’m just doing my own thing and focusing. And as a team, we’re doing our own thing and focusing on ourselves. A lot of people against us, but we’ll keep pushing forward.”
When asked if he believed it possible to compete fairly against Verstappen, Norris stated that he was sure that he could as he prioritised sportsmanship while driving. While he acknowledged that this ethical commitment had, at times, cost him during the race, he claimed that he had worked to improve his ability to balance that commitment with the competitiveness required of him.
I’ve always fought fairly. That’s who I am. That’s who I am as a racer. That’s my way of driving every day.”
“Maybe sometimes I’ve lost out because I’ve been too fair and not aggressive enough. And that’s where I have to find a better balance.”
“And those are the things, the changes I’ve said I’ve had to change since last weekend and the course of this year, that when you’re racing these top guys, you learn things and you have to understand better these balances of attacking, defending, risk management, aggression, all of those types of things.”
“But, yeah, for me, I don’t need to worry about them. It’s got nothing to do with me, in a way. I mean, I’ll do what I can. I’ll race fairly.”
While he stopped short of confirming Verstappen’s intention to race fairly over the upcoming weekends, he stated that he believed that the Red Bull driver would do so, to avoid being penalised as he had been during Sunday’s race.
“If he doesn’t, then things will go like they did today. But I think he wants to race fairly. I hope he does.”
“I think he enjoys those moments, too, when it’s a fair battle, but… Yeah, all I can do is keep doing what I’m doing. I feel like I’m doing a good job and we’ll see what happens.
