“We’d Be Just as Bad”: After a Bizarre Penalty That Saw Him Slip Out of Points, Lando Norris Slams Zak Brown & Co. for Failing to Make Any Progress

At the Spanish GP, McLaren looked like they had started their comeback journey. Both their drivers started the race in the Top 10. Lando Norris was P3 on the grid and rookie teammate, Oscar Piastri was P10. But the end was upsetting as McLaren went home without any points. In Canada, they suffered a similar fate where both drivers went from starting in the points to finishing without any. Because of a harsh penalty, Norris finished P13 and his frustration showed.

The Canadian GP was a confusing one for Lando Norris. Despite seemingly doing nothing wrong, in Lap 12 of the race, he was given a 5-second penalty for allegedly slowing down the cars behind him. Due to that, the P9 that he secured changed to P13. Neither did his teammate, Piastri finish in the points. Once again Zak Brown‘s team ended the race with no points scored. After the race, Norris expressed his disappointment with the MCL60.

Norris said, as quoted by Motorsport-Total, “No, it’s better because it’s a different track. If we went back to last weekend, we would do just as badly. If we went back to other tracks, we would be just as bad. The car hasn’t changed. A few little things that may have brought us half a tenth or a whole tenth. As I said, it’s not the car, we didn’t change anything. The first real upgrade of the season will come next time.”

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Norris even had an explanation ready after the race as to why the penalty was harsh and undeserved.

Lando Norris Confused on Penalty for “Unsportsmanlike Behavior”

George Russell brought out the safety car in Lap 12 of the race after crashing into the barriers at the exit of Turn 9. Most of the cars were pitting during this period. And McLaren asked both their drivers to the box as well. But the stewards felt that Lando Norris was going slower than required during that period to avoid the time wastage owing to a double stack. For that, he was given a 5-second penalty.

The penalty was a bit hard to explain to Norris during the race. So even when he asked his race engineer about it twice, he was told to discuss it after the race. Norris said in a post-race interview, “It doesn’t make sense to me. I was, what, three seconds, four seconds behind my delta, which everyone quite often is. So I’m a bit confused, but nothing I can do.”

As per Norris, McLaren has a big upgrade package for Austria. Could the Red Bull Ring be McLaren’s hunting ground where they turn around things for themselves?

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