Lando Norris backed as 'amateur' F1 stewards accused of letting Max Verstappen off

Max Verstappen claimed a podium place at the United States Grand Prix after a late penalty for title rival Lando Norris but not everyone agreed with the decision

Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has slammed the differing treatment of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen as the reigning world champ extended his lead at the top of this season's drivers' championship.

Norris started on pole in Sunday's United States Grand Prix, with a chance to close the overall gap on Verstappen. However, both fell behind the two Ferraris early on with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz completing a one-two for the Italian team.

It was Norris who finished third on the track after overtaking his rival late on. The British driver was penalised for gaining an advantage by leaving the track, however, with his five-second penalty allowing Verstappen to claim the final podium place.

Villeneuve saw things differently, though. While he accepted that Norris should have been penalised, he argued the same thing should have happened to Verstappen for his part in the incident.

“The F1 marshals made a mess," Villeneuve told Best Online Casinos in Canada. "At the start does Max deserve a penalty for pushing Lando completely off the track? Yes.

"Let’s look at the incident where Lando was punished. Did Lando floor it when he was on the outside of the track? Yes, he did. Was he ahead at the apex? It’s difficult to see from the angle but possibly. Why was he off the track? Because he had been pushed off the track.

"He did gain an advantage but Max did not make the corner. They were both off. But why did Max not get a penalty? The rules are clear. When a car drives someone else off the track they get a five second penalty."

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Arguing that "one incident does not excuse the other", Villeneuve pointed out that a penalty for both would have seen Norris finish third and Verstappen fifth behind Oscar Piastri. Such an outcome could have had a huge bearing on the championship standings, dropping the gap between the drivers to 49 rather than the current margin of 57.

"They did not even acknowledge that Max pushed Norris off the track. They did not even look at it. They were real amateurs," Villeneuve added. “It was not about trying to help Max. It was just incompetence by the stewards to not see what was going on."

Norris voiced his own frustration after the race, but conceded "I do not make the rules". However, McLaren chief Andrea Stella was far more pointed in his criticism.

"The way the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate," Stella said. "Both cars went off track so both cars gained an advantage. It is a shame because it cost us a podium in a race where we stayed patient after we were pushed off in the first corner."

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