Norris in penalty demand after recent F1 controversy

Lando Norris has asserted that he wishes to see stricter penalties handed out in Formula 1 going forward.

The McLaren driver has taken issue with certain punishments becoming a precedent, believing that some drivers “don't care” to be handed minor grid penalties.

A three-place grid drop is a norm for a driver who is found guilty of impeding another driver during qualifying, while most offences in Grands Prix or Sprints are dealt with by way of a five-second time penalty.

However, in recent races, drivers have simply been able to negate the effect of a five-second penalty by having it adding to their race time, but not costing them any positions as they were five-seconds ahead of the car behind at the flag.

Should a driver pass another off the track, simply handing the place back becomes difficult if a third car then splits the two involved - as happened to George Russell and Oscar Piastri in the US Grand Prix Sprint.

Norris has called on the drivers in that situation to deal with the matter themselves, telling media including RacingNews365.com simply that: "It's your own fault [for passing off the track], but give [the place] back.

"If you took the risk of doing it, you're committed to doing it, then you give it back yourself straightaway or you're going to get a penalty.”

Harsher penalties

Norris has projected that F1 punishments need to be more costly for the drivers.

"Penalties just need to be more harsh in general," he said. "People are getting away with too many things.

"You've got people in qualifying, it's three positions, people don't care about it really.

"If you want a quick enough car, you don't care if it's three positions. I just feel penalties in general need to be harsher.

"That's going stop people doing it. When you have three positions and a five-second penalty it doesn't stop you.

"People don't seem to care about blocking people in qualifying and stuff like that. I just think penalties in general need to be harsher.

"Set a precedent that way rather than changing penalties all the time, and not sticking to what they should do, that's the main thing."