Lando Norris defended his decision not to yield to Max Verstappen during their intense late-race battle at the United States Grand Prix, despite being handed a penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Norris, who started from pole, fell to fourth after a five-second penalty dropped him from third place behind Verstappen at the finish line.
After losing the lead to Charles Leclerc on the opening lap, Norris found himself engaged in a tense fight with Verstappen for third place as the race neared its end. In his move at Turn 12, Norris ran off the track and rejoined in front of the Red Bull, which prompted stewards to impose the penalty.
When asked why he didn’t give the position back immediately, Norris explained: "I didn’t give the position back because we thought we were in the right... I was ahead, I kept my position because [Verstappen] needed to give it back." He added that he still believed his actions were correct, though he acknowledged that it wasn’t his decision to make.
Despite the penalty, Norris praised Verstappen’s driving in their battle: "Max drove well, it was a fun race between us, a good battle. He defended well, he did everything he had to do."
However, Norris was critical of his own performance, admitting: "I didn’t drive particularly well. It was a tough challenge... I didn’t do enough today." He cited difficulties with tyres and car handling, adding that the weekend had been a struggle for McLaren, as the papaya cars lacked pace compared to their rivals.
Reflecting on the result, Norris said he was disappointed but recognized that third place was likely the best possible finish, given Ferrari's superior performance. He concluded: "I’m not happy with today at all – we struggled as a team, I didn’t do a great job, and both are not what we need right now."