The 2024 Formula One title race is getting heated each moment as the top two contenders for the Championship are giving it everything they have got to win the Championship. The main battle currently is between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris. Max Verstappen currently leads the Championship battle but the McLaren driver is catching upto him quickly as McLaren is currently the most dominant car on the Formula One grid. 

McLaren Lose Appeal Over Norris Penalty Ahead Of Mexican GP 

Amid an unexpectedly tight championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, their teams brought the fight to the Mexico City Grand Prix over an officiating dispute in last week’s race.

McLaren lodged a complaint into the penalty Norris received last week at the United States Grand Prix — a step in trying to get it overturned and put three-time reigning world champion Verstappen back within his reach.

The appeal was denied late Friday night.

Norris received a five-second penalty for passing Verstappen off the track late in the race in Austin, Texas. The two were racing for third at the time, and the penalty gave the final podium finish to Verstappen.

The change in position widened Verstappen’s lead to 57 points headed into Sunday’s race at Mexico City, and there are only five races remaining to decide the title. 

Norris has maintained he did nothing wrong and, along with many other drivers, argued that Verstappen should have been penalized for his defensive driving.

“He did what he thought was right, and I did what I thought was right. I still disagree, and as a team, we disagree,” Norris said. “It is something I am sure we will discuss as it has been a big talking point since last weekend. A lot of other drivers didn’t agree with it, teams didn’t agree with it.” 

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The same stewards who levied the penalty at the USGP heard the appeal via video conference late Friday afternoon.

Verstappen argued in Mexico that F1 has become over-policed — he was ordered to serve community service for swearing in a news conference in Singapore last month — and joked he needs to keep a copy of the rulebook inside his car to keep up with all the regulations.

“I think we are getting to a stage where I always need the book in the car. If you look of course over the years, the book has grown quite a lot,” Verstappen said. ”It is definitely over-regulated.”

Lewis Hamilton Sides With McLaren Driver 

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton seemed to side with Norris, claiming Verstappen has routinely received favorable treatment from the stewards. 

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“I mean, it’s always been a gray area. That’s why he’s got away with it for so long,” Hamilton said. “They probably need to make some adjustments for sure. We do have inconsistencies weekend in, weekend out, obviously, depending on which stewards are there.

“And as a sport, we do need to level up on all areas,” he continued. “We look at, like, other global sports, they have full-time refs for example, and I’m sure that wouldn’t be a bad thing for our sport,” stated Lewis Hamilton.  

(With AP Inputs)