Lando Norris has publicly questioned the five-second time penalty issued to Charles Leclerc following an incident at the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix. The McLaren driver, who secured victory at Interlagos, disagreed with the stewards’ decision regarding the contact between Leclerc and Liam Lawson.
The incident occurred on Lap 68 of the rain-affected race, as Ferrari’s Leclerc battled with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver Lawson for seventh position. Leclerc made contact with Lawson’s car at Turn 12, known as Junção.
Although Leclerc initially finished seventh on the road, the post-race penalty demoted him to eighth place. This decision reversed the positions, promoting Lawson to seventh and awarding him additional championship points.
The FIA stewards concluded that while the contact was minor, it ‘clearly disrupted Lawson’ and allowed Leclerc to gain an unfair advantage. Lawson reported minor damage to his rear-left rim after the collision.
The official verdict stated that Lawson had the right to the corner under driving standard guidelines. Therefore, Leclerc was deemed responsible for taking the necessary steps to avoid a collision.
Norris, reflecting on the incident, questioned the severity of the penalty. He stated, ‘How did Leclerc get a five-second penalty?’
“Yeah, but that’s just racing, no?”
Norris further added, ‘I agree, I agree. I thought it was a perfectly placed nudge.’ This perspective contrasts with the stewards’ ruling on sporting consequence.
Charles Leclerc expressed his frustration with the penalty, describing the contact as a ‘racing incident.’ He maintained that the move was ‘on the limit but it’s part of racing for me.’
Leclerc also noted his disappointment in losing a position for what he believed was fair racing. He emphasized the need for consistency in such decisions.
Liam Lawson, the driver involved, commented that the contact unsettled his car. He felt it allowed Leclerc to gain an advantage in their battle for position.
Lawson drew a comparison to a previous ‘GP2 move’ by Leclerc on Alex Albon in 2017. He questioned the legality of the maneuver, calling it Leclerc’s ‘specialty.’
Max Verstappen also weighed in on the incident in the post-race cooldown room, remarking, ‘rubbing is racing.’
The stewards acknowledged the wet conditions at Interlagos and the minor nature of the contact as mitigating factors. These considerations led to a five-second penalty rather than a more severe ten-second sanction.
The 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix saw Lando Norris secure his third victory of the season. He navigated challenging wet conditions at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.
In addition to Leclerc, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli and Haas racer Oliver Bearman also received five-second post-race penalties. These were for unsafe pit lane releases, though neither lost their finishing positions.
Mercedes clinched the 2026 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship at this event. This marked their ninth constructors’ title and first since 2021.
