Stella Slams FIA for Harsh Penalty on Norris Incident

McLaren’s Andrea Stella criticized the FIA for a harsh penalty on Lando Norris, citing a lack of proportionality and consistency.

Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, was furious over the FIA’s penalty imposed on Lando Norris in Qatar.

Stella acknowledged that Norris didn’t lift during the first lap when a yellow flag was shown for debris on the track, but he argued the penalty— a 10-second stop-and-go— was excessively harsh.

“We reviewed the data. Indeed, Lando stayed flat out. The yellow flag appeared as he entered the sector, but the requirement is clear: you must lift. It’s the driver’s responsibility to recognize a yellow sector and slow down.”

“At the same time, I find it odd that the yellow flag was deployed and then withdrawn, even though the situation in the sector remained unchanged— there were still debris on the track.”

“At one moment, it warranted a yellow flag, and then seconds later, it didn’t. That’s simply unfortunate, I’d say. And in the application of the penalty, I think we’ve lost all sense of proportion and specificity.”

“Can we evaluate the infraction more specifically— the level of danger, the situation, and the fact that the yellow flag was withdrawn? Penalties should be judged with these elements in mind— proportion and specificity— instead of dusting off some regulation and applying it blindly without any critical consideration.”

“From this perspective, I believe the FIA has room for improvement.”

McLaren F1 was within reach of securing its first Constructors’ title since 1998. However, Ferrari ultimately gained 9 points following this highly consequential penalty.

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FIA Criticized Over Severity of Norris’s Qatar Penalty FIA Criticized Over Severity of Norris’s Qatar Penalty