Verstappen defends Norris penalty as McLaren fume

Max Verstappen has given a bullish reaction to criticism of his driving after a controversial finish to the US Grand Prix on Sunday.

- Giles Richards

The Red Bull driver told his McLaren rivals to stop complaining in an increasingly tense series of exchanges between the two teams as Verstappen vies with Lando Norris for the world title.

At the race in Austin, where Charles Leclerc took a dominant win for Ferrari, McLaren were left fuming after Norris had attempted to overtake Verstappen for third place but was pushed wide by the Dutchman in the process and given a five-second penalty by the stewards. Norris took the place on track but with the penalty was demoted once more to fourth, losing vital points in his title fight with Verstappen, and now trails by 57 points with five meetings remaining.

Norris accused stewards of making a rushed decision and McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, was equally damning, believing that since both drivers went off track the stewards had intervened unnecessarily.