Lauda: 'It's going too far - white lines are not a limit'

Mercedes F1 chairman Niki Lauda has come down on the side of Max Verstappen after the stewards' controversial decision to penalise the Red Bull driver in Austin.

Verstappen executed a spectacular pass on the inside of Turn 17 on the final lap of the US Grand Prix, snatching third place from Kimi Raikkonen.

He was subsequently hit however with a five-second penalty which demoted him to fourth, a call which did not go down well with many in the paddock, or with the fans.

"This decision is the worst I’ve ever seen," said the always candid Lauda.

"He [Verstappen] did nothing wrong. We’re racing drivers, we’re not on a normal road. It’s ridiculous to destroy the sport with this kind of decision."

Lauda underlined the fact that F1 had come together last year to implore stewards to show more leniency, and let drivers fight more freely, even if it means exceeding the boundaries of the track.

• Verstappen slams stewards for 'idiot decisions killing the sport'

"We got the stewards in to tell us how fast stewards could go during a race," he said.

"Because it always says ‘under investigation'. So we complained about that.

"The stewards were in, [Jean] Todt asked everybody, Charlie [Whiting] was there, we were there, and there we agreed all together that unless it is dangerous, the stewards would not interfere.

"Very simple. If they drive over [each other] and go upside down, only then they [the stewards] will come in. It was the beginning of last year.

"Charlie argues all the time there’s white lines and you cannot drive over them. Why cannot you drive over white lines if it is possible? Build a wall there if you want.

"As long as there is normal circuit, you can use it. A white line is not a limit. We agreed this all, last year it was all agreed. And now we get this decision. I think it’s completely wrong."

Lauda vowed to bring up the subject of the stewards' attitude at F1's next Strategy Meeting in early November.

"Next strategy [group] meeting we need to bring it up to the agenda and start it all over again. Because we cannot do that, it’s going too far.

"There was nothing to interfere with, it was a normal overtaking."

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