News Summary:
- Lando Norris questioned the five-second penalty handed to Charles Leclerc following his collision with Liam Lawson at the São Paulo Grand Prix.
- The McLaren driver considered the contact to be part of normal racing, describing it as a “perfectly placed nudge” during a Twitch stream with former racing driver Max Fewtrell.
- The FIA stewards determined that Leclerc had gained a sporting advantage from the contact, dropping the Ferrari driver from seventh to eighth in the final classification.
Lando Norris disagreed with the Formula 1 stewards’ decision to penalise Charles Leclerc following his late-race collision with Liam Lawson at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The McLaren driver considered the contact to be part of normal racing, despite the five-second penalty that cost the Ferrari driver seventh place at Interlagos.
Leclerc and Lawson were battling for seventh position in the closing stages of the race. The Ferrari driver made contact with the Racing Bulls car at Turn 12 before completing the overtake five corners later.
Although Leclerc crossed the finish line in seventh place, the FIA stewards imposed a five-second time penalty after the race. The sanction dropped the Monegasque to eighth, promoting Lawson to seventh.
Norris, who won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in wet conditions, discussed the incident during a Twitch stream with his friend and former racing driver Max Fewtrell.
“How did Leclerc get a five-second penalty?” Norris asked while reviewing the incident.
Fewtrell described the contact as being at the limit of what was acceptable in racing, but argued that it was a fair move.
“Yeah, but that’s just racing, no?” Norris replied.
Fewtrell then explained that a stronger nudge would have been unfair to Lawson, before describing the contact as a “perfectly-timed nudge”.
Norris agreed with the assessment.
“I agree, I agree. I thought it was a perfectly placed nudge,” the McLaren driver said.
Why Charles Leclerc received a penalty at the Brazilian GP
The FIA stewards investigated the collision between Leclerc and Lawson after the São Paulo Grand Prix. The decision was based on the contact at Turn 12, which the officials determined had a clear sporting consequence.
According to the official verdict, Lawson claimed that the impact damaged the rear-left rim of his car and allowed Leclerc to close the gap before eventually overtaking him.
The stewards also concluded that Lawson had the right to the corner under the FIA’s Driving Standard Guidelines, meaning Leclerc was responsible for avoiding the collision.
Although Ferrari’s driver argued that the contact was minor and had no obvious sporting consequence, the officials reached a different conclusion.
The verdict stated that the contact disrupted Lawson and allowed Leclerc to pull alongside when he had previously been further behind.
The stewards therefore imposed a five-second time penalty. Wet conditions and the minor nature of the contact were considered mitigating circumstances, preventing a 10-second sanction.
Leclerc finished eighth in the final classification, ahead of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who took ninth place.
FAQ
Why did Charles Leclerc receive a five-second penalty at the Brazilian GP?
Leclerc was penalised for causing a collision with Liam Lawson at Turn 12. The stewards concluded that the contact disrupted Lawson and helped Leclerc gain an advantage before overtaking him.
What did Lando Norris say about Charles Leclerc’s penalty?
Norris questioned the decision, saying the incident was “just racing”. He also described the contact as a “perfectly placed nudge” during a Twitch stream with Max Fewtrell.
What position did Charles Leclerc finish in at the 2026 Brazilian GP?
Leclerc crossed the finish line in seventh place but was demoted to eighth after receiving a five-second time penalty. Liam Lawson was promoted to seventh.
