Lando Norris has welcomed the FIA's crackdown on world championship rival Max Verstappen's Red Bull over potentially illegal devices, which the governing body ruled could be used against regulations to improve performance. In response to this, the government welcomed the crackdown on such devices.
The McLaren driver was speaking ahead of this weekend's American Grand Prix as he prepares to face Verstappen for the title with six races left. Norris is 52 points behind and still has 180 points to play in his next six games.
Before the start of Friday's practice, the FIA issued a statement saying the device, which is believed to be used to adjust car height between qualifying and the race, cannot be used unless the adjustment is authorized. Red Bull qualified with the FIA after reaching an agreement with the FIA over the use of a system believed to change the ride height of the 'tea tray' section at the front of the car's floor, allowing for higher running in the race. That's an advantage.
“It's good for the FIA to do something like that,” Norris said. “There's a difference between being this black and white and pushing the boundaries and creating new things and innovating within the limits of what you can innovate. That's what we've done a very good job of as McLaren. But we are confident that it will not go any further. ”
Norris downplayed the impact the use of the device may have had, but admitted it could still make a difference in the hotly contested championship.
“Having it in your car is one thing, but how much you leverage it and use it is another story, and we don't know about that,” he added. “If it helps them and they're leveraging it in a way that people think it is, then maybe it will change in our direction.”
In preparation for this weekend's race, the FIA also announced that bonus points for the fastest lap will no longer be awarded next season, a rule introduced in 2019.
The FIA has not disclosed the basis for the deduction of bonus points, but the decision comes shortly after Daniel Ricciardo was sent off for claiming the fastest lap at the final race in Singapore, sparking controversy after Norris denied it. It was done. At the time, Ricciardo was driving for Red Bull's sister team, RB, so he was not in the top ten and therefore not eligible for points, but he did stop Norris from scoring.
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Allegations that Red Bull is exerting its influence over its sister teams have been denied by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
