Any repeat of the fastest lap tactics RB employed with Daniel Ricciardo in Singapore will be regarded with suspicion by McLaren, says Lando Norris.
The McLaren driver, who is chasing world championship leader Max Verstappen, lost the bonus point for fastest lap to Ricciardo, in his final race for Red Bull’s second team.
RB’s instruction to Ricciardo raised many eyebrows as it brought him no benefit, but aided Verstappen. After the race, RB team principal Laurent Mekies claimed the team had made the choice as a potential farewell gesture to Ricciardo, who was dropped by Red Bull the following week.
The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council announced today the fastest lap bonus point will be deleted from next year’s sporting regulations. Asked if he had concerns about RB’s actions potentially denying him the opportunity to catch Verstappen in the championship over the final six rounds, Norris said he had no qualms with the events of Singapore.
“It might come down to that at the end of the year. And if that’s the case, then so be it,” Norris said. “But people have done that for years. I know it’s just odd timing and people are quick to jump on things, but it depends.
“The circumstances of how it happened, I guess, is a unique one. Daniel knew it was his last race. If it wasn’t and it was just him going for fastest lap, then it’s a bit more of a question mark and something I think we probably would have questioned more as a team. I know they’re changing the rules for next year in these kind of things, but if it was a repetitive thing, if it was to happen again this weekend or next weekend, then I think that’s where we would probably question it in a much deeper manner.”
Norris suggested that while McLaren have not complained about Red Bull’s apparent tactics to help defend Verstappen’s championship lead, they would object if it becomes a regular occurrence.
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“I don’t want to say ‘I accept it, because it was his final race’, because it’s still it’s got nothing to do [with] his championship or their championship, it was something to take away from me,” Norris said. “But I would never blame Daniel. I would never blame them.
“But if it’s done with intent[ion] to do such a thing, then it’s obviously not what we agree with and I don’t think something that Formula 1 would agree with either.”
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