FIA confirm Lando Norris penalty verdict after bi…. read more
The FIA has confirmed that McLaren’s Lando Norris will face no penalty following an investigation into a potential breach of pit exit regulations during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The incident in question occurred on lap 41 of the race in Jeddah, where Norris was suspected of failing to comply with race director instructions by possibly crossing the white line while exiting the pit lane.
The white line rule is in place to ensure cars rejoining the track from the pits do so safely and within designated boundaries. The rule states that drivers must not cross the line marking the edge of the pit exit, which typically means keeping at least part of the tyre on or inside the line. However, the specifics of whether Norris had all four wheels over the line were not immediately clear from the initial footage, prompting an official investigation by the stewards.
As the stewards reviewed the footage, various pundits and analysts weighed in on the matter. Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle noted that typically, as long as any part of the tyre remains on the line, it should not be considered a violation. He stated, “I thought as long as you’ve got tyre on the line you’re okay, you don’t need to cross the line. They’re going to have to look at that extremely closely.”
F1 analyst Bernie Collins also chimed in, pointing to the event notes issued by the race director, which emphasize that drivers must adhere to specific procedures when entering and exiting the pit lane. Collins observed, “It does say that they must follow procedures at pit entry and pit exit.” She noted from the onboard footage that it appeared Norris’s right-front tyre might have been too far away from the white line, suggesting a possible infraction. However, she acknowledged that the visibility of the footage made it difficult to draw a definitive conclusion.
Despite the discussions and apparent visual uncertainty, the FIA swiftly concluded its review and announced that no further action would be taken against Norris. The decision meant that the British driver retained his fourth-place finish without any time penalties or reprimands.
Norris had been chasing down Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the closing laps of the race, with the potential to gain DRS and fight for a podium spot. Ultimately, though, he was unable to catch the leading trio and crossed the finish line in P4. His McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, enjoyed a stellar performance and went on to claim the grand prix victory, moving ahead of Norris in the championship standings as a result.
The incident adds to the ongoing debate about track limit enforcement and consistency in stewarding decisions in Formula 1. However, in this case, the FIA deemed that Norris had not breached the pit exit rules, closing the matter without controversy or penalty.
