Mercedes crew principal Toto Wolff has described decision-making over penalties in the US Grand Prix as “biased” after George Russell and Lando Norris had been punished, whereas Max Verstappen escaped with out challenge.
Russell was given a five-second penalty early on for forcing Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas off-track at Flip 12, though shrugged off the hindrance to complete sixth having began from the pitlane.
Yuki Tsunoda was handed the identical punishment for pushing Alex Albon broad because the RB and Williams scrapped mid-race, however Verstappen twice escaped penalty for comparable incidents.
His Flip 1 lunge on championship rival Norris, which allowed Charles Leclerc by means of en path to victory, was not checked out by the FIA race stewards, although the extra controversial incident got here within the closing levels.
As his exhausting tyres pale and Norris attacked on more energizing rubber, the Dutchman braked late into Flip 12 to maintain third. With each drivers operating broad, the McLaren driver accelerated whereas off-track to take the place, ultimately being handed a five-second penalty for leaving the monitor and gaining a bonus.
This left Wolff pissed off and, having initially referred to as Russell’s penalty a “whole joke” over crew radio, he prompt bias when speaking to his driver on the cool-down lap.
After Russell inquired whether or not Verstappen had been penalised for his Flip 1 transfer, Wolff replied: “He did not get a penalty, and on the finish, Lando bought a penalty for being pressured off and overtaking on the skin. I suppose it’s a bit biased decision-making.”
Toto Wolff, Workforce Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG F1 Workforce
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
Chatting with Sky Sports activities F1 on the scenario, Wolff added: “It’s inconsistent. With Valtteri, it wasn’t even a race. [In the sprint] we noticed just a few of these incidents that had been precisely the identical and weren’t penalised when racing for positions, actual positions really. So receiving that penalty is totally odd and weird.
“I believe we all know why, however I can not say that on tv.”
Requested if that was resulting from over-judicious stewarding, Wolff replied: “Generally there are correlations. When there’s decision-making that may be a bit fascinating.”
Wolff by no means named the stewards explicitly in his solutions and completed: “On the finish of the day, it’s a tough job. Some are superb, some try their greatest, and it is advisable salute these guys.”