Oct 26, V7N- McLaren's appeal to overturn Lando Norris's penalty from the U.S. Grand Prix was denied by Formula One stewards, as confirmed by the FIA on Friday. Norris received a five-second penalty during last Sunday’s race in Austin, which relegated him from third to fourth place behind Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who secured the final podium position.

The penalty was issued after stewards determined that Norris had left the track and gained an advantage while overtaking Verstappen with four laps to go. They noted that Norris, positioned on the outside, had limited options and was forced off the track as a result of Verstappen’s actions.

During a video conference with the stewards, attended by representatives from both McLaren and Red Bull, McLaren sought to demonstrate that there was a "significant and relevant new element" that had not been available when the original decision was made. However, the stewards concluded that the team failed to present such evidence, leading to the rejection of the appeal. Their written ruling stated, "Accordingly, as there is no relevant new element, the petition is rejected."

McLaren contended that Norris was actually defending rather than overtaking, as he was ahead of Verstappen in the braking zone. The penalty leaves Norris 57 points behind Verstappen, the triple world champion, with five races remaining in the season, including the upcoming Mexico City Grand Prix.

Despite the unfavorable outcome, McLaren, which currently leads Red Bull by 40 points in the constructors' standings, acknowledged the decision but did not accept it. They expressed a commitment to working closely with the FIA to better understand how teams can effectively challenge decisions that they believe result in an incorrect race classification.