Norris left confused by 'unsportsmanlike' penalty

McLaren driver Lando Norris admitted that he didn't understand why he had received a five second penalty for "unsportsmanlike conduct" during the Canadian Grand Prix, which ended up costing him a points finish.

The stewards had investigated the way he slowed behind the safety car for George Russell's accident on lap 12, which enabled the team to carry out a 'double stacking' pit stop of both of its cars on the same lap.

By slowing in the way that he did, Norris was deemed to have held up the cars behind him who were forbidden to overtake during the safety car caution.

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The statement from the stewards pointed out that there had been a 50kph difference between Norris and his team mate Oscar Piastri through turns 10 and 13, and referred to Article 12.2.1.l of the FIA's International Sporting Code.

That related to 'any infringement of the principles of fairness in competition, behaviour in an unsportsmanlike manner or attempt to influence the results of a competition, in a way that is contrary to sporting ethics'.

But that was news to Norris when he spoke to the media in the paddock at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve after the finish of the race. "No, I don't think I did anything wrong.

"The team didn't tell me, so I have no idea what I got a penalty for," he said. "I only got told to box like three seconds before the box. By that time I was flat out, so it doesn't make sense to me.

"There are plenty of times where you go slow under VSC, so if I get a penalty today I should get a penalty for the last three years as well - and so should everyone else!"

Norris finished the race in ninth place after a thrilling battle to the line with Alpine's Esteban Ocon. But the five second penalty applied after the end proved costly, dropping him out of the points.

"Lando crossed the line P9 but was penalised five seconds and demoted to P13, which is unfortunate," said team boss Andrea Stella. “It’s a shame to leave Canada with no points, at the end of a race where we were keenly competitive in the midfield."

"It was my best race of the year I would say," Norris agreed. "One of my first overtakes of the year today. It was a good race.

"All my overtakes were in the hairpin, I was really confident on the brakes," he continued. "The pace was good. I wouldn't say it was amazing, but good enough to hold on to the Alfa and the Alpine and have a chance to at least race them."

"We were a little bit unlucky that I lost the position at the beginning but happy apart from that," he said. "It was good to compete on-track for some points. A difficult race in terms of tyre degradation and overtaking, but I think we made the most of it

It was also a solid outing for Norris' team mate Oscar Piastri, although he also finished just outside the points on Sunday.

"A shame to be one spot off the points," the Australian admitted. "Very good first stint and then after that we just didn’t quite have the pace or the tyre life."

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