Norris launches strong Ricciardo defence over Singapore controversy

Lando Norris has strongly defended former F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo over the controversy of the Singapore fastest lap. 

In what is very likely to be his final F1 race, Ricciardo pitted in the closing laps at Marina Bay for soft tyres and an attack on fastest lap, held at the time by race-leader and eventual winner Norris, who was on course for a career first grand slam. 

Ricciardo was driving for RB at the time, the second team owned by Red Bull, with Norris locked in a title race with Max Verstappen of the latter, leading to the idea that Ricciardo was pitted simply to deny Norris the extra point for fastest lap. 

The loss of that extra point for Norris now means Verstappen can afford to finish second to Norris in the remaining six grands prix and sprints with the McLaren taking the extra point, and still win the world championship, although from 2025, the extra bonus point is to be scrapped entirely. 

RB justified the move at the time as allowing Ricciardo to end his grand prix career with the fastest lap, as Norris also defended his former McLaren team-mate. 

"No. I wouldn't look at that as the reason. I'd probably put the blame down to other things this season that could have been better, rather than Daniel in his final race getting the fastest lap," Norris told media including RacingNews365 when asked if he would be bittersweet at losing the championship by the point Ricciardo took from him.

"It might come down to that at the end of the year, and if that's the case, then so be it, but people have done that for years. I know it's just odd timing and people are quick to jump on things, but the circumstances of how it happened, I guess, are unique.

"Daniel knew it was his last race, and I wouldn't say it's a nice way to go out, because I don't think any way to go out is a nice one. 

"But if it wasn't and it was just him going for fastest lap, then it's a bit more of a question mark, and we probably would have questioned more as a team. 

"I know they're changing the rules for next year and these kind of things, but if it was a repetitive thing, like if it was to happen again this weekend or next weekend, then I think that's where we would probably classify it or question it in a much deeper manner. 

"I don't want to just say I accept it because it was his final race because it’s got nothing to do with his championship or their championship, it was something to take away from me, but I would never blame Daniel. 

"I would never blame them. But if it's done with intent to do such a thing, then it's obviously not what we agree with, and I don't think something that Formula 1 would agree with either. So the answer is no, I wouldn't blame [losing the title] on this. It would be down to other reasons."

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