\n<\/p>\n
Both incidents were controversial, but Norris and his McLaren team were more concerned by the defining moment of the Austin race with four laps to go.<\/p>\n
Norris had spent most of the race behind Verstappen, but an offset strategy gave him a tyre advantage in the second stint and he closed on to the back of the Red Bull with 12 laps to go.<\/p>\n
The two rivals spent the next eight laps battling, sometimes running side by side, until Norris tried to capitalise on the best opportunity he got.<\/p>\n
He went for the outside line at Turn 12 as Verstappen defended the inside. Both cars ran off track on the exit and Norris emerged in front.<\/p>\n
Verstappen immediately complained that Norris had overtaken him off the track, which is not allowed. Norris and McLaren saw the incident the other way around.<\/p>\n
Norris said: “For me, the thing that is incorrect is what Max did, which is defend his position by going off the track and effectively keeping his position. He over-defended and made a mistake and gained from that.<\/p>\n
“I had to go off the track. It is impossible for people to know whether I could have made it on the track or couldn’t, therefore you cannot steward that kind of thing.”<\/p>\n
Norris and McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said the stewards should have reviewed the incident with both drivers after the race.<\/p>\n
“For me it’s just a rash decision,” Norris said. “They don\u2019t hear or understand our points, which they should do after the race. They just want to make a decision at the time so they don\u2019t alter points and podiums and things like that.<\/p>\n
“But they don\u2019t hear my point or my team’s point or Max’s point, which I don\u2019t think is the most correct thing. But today it’s a penalty and there’s not a lot I can do apart from accept that.<\/p>\n
“It was a great battle. Max defended very well but he ended up on top and congrats to him.”<\/p>\n
Norris said the stewards were “just guessing and I don\u2019t think that\u2019s how stewarding should be done”.<\/p>\n
Stella drew comparisons with other incidents in which Verstappen has driven in the same way during his career.<\/p>\n
“The defending car goes just straight at the apex,” Stella said. “We checked the video multiple times; it is just going straight. It is just going off the track as much as Lando is doing, just giving no chance for Lando to compete the manoeuvre.<\/p>\n
“If I was a journalist, I would have done a bit of statistics how many times Max has used this way for defending. Both cars go off track. So I think both cars are gaining an advantage if there is an advantage gained. So I think it was at least neutral.”<\/p>\n
Verstappen rejected Stella’s remarks, saying: “They complain about a lot lately anyway, but it’s very clear in the rules. Outside the white line, you cannot pass. I’ve been done for it as well in the past.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n