'Max pushed the boundaries, but currently, he is allowed to'
F1 News
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes that the current rules that are used by the FIA for drivers who are battling on track should be changed. It comes after another battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris caused controversy, with questions now being asked if the regulations used by the FIA to make decisions should be altered.
At the United States Grand Prix, as the race neared its conclusion, Norris was closing up to Max Verstappen in a battle that could have major implications on the drivers' championship. Norris could not get past Verstappen as he placed his car perfectly, but as he continued to try and make the move, an opportunity arose for the Brit.
However, Verstappen was able to get to the apex of the corner first, allowing him to use up all the space on the track and push Norris out wide, a tactic we have seen the Dutchman use before while defending. It meant that Norris had to overtake off the track, and because he thought that there would be no penalty, as it looked like Verstappen forced the McLaren driver off the track, Norris stayed in P3 after making the move. However, the FIA said Norris gained an advantage off the track and was given a five-second penalty, meaning he was demoted back to P4 behind Verstappen, who increased his championship lead to 57 points.
Chandhok believes the rules need to be altered
After the race, there was some criticism aimed towards Verstappen for his defensive methods, with many people believing that he forced Norris off without even attempting to make the corner.
Speaking on his X (formerly Twitter) account after the Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, Chandhok explained how the rules should be changed by the FIA to stop these types of incidents: "In my opinion, if the driver on the outside is more than 75% alongside - as Lando was - then they should be entitled to one car's width on the exit of the corner, but currently that is not in the rules. The way the current rules are, Max pushed the boundaries but he’s allowed to."
Chandhok continued on by saying, "If there was gravel or a wall along the outside of the kerb, then Lando wouldn’t have tried to hang on for so long out there. Fundamentally, he overtook another car while off-track and should have given the place back straight away," agreeing with the FIA that Norris' punishment was correct regarding the current regulations.
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