Featured Image Credit: F1
Topics: Formula 1, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris
Tom Jenkins
Max Verstappen's onboard from his controversial battle with Lando Norris at the Mexican Grand Prix has been released, and it is damning, to say the least.
It was a second consecutive victory for Ferrari on Sunday, but once again all the talk is surrounding Verstappen and Norris following some extremely rash moves from the world champion.
Verstappen received 20 seconds worth of time penalties for 'forcing another driver [Norris] off the track' and 'leaving the track and gaining an advantage'.
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Following the race Verstappen was hit with another penalty, as two penalty points on his super licence taking him up to six in the last 12 months.
If a driver gets 12 penalty points they will receive a race ban, which was the case for Kevin Magnussen in Baku this year.
While the incidents between the two championship contenders were hard to judge on the live broadcast, the onboard of Verstappen shows exactly why he faced such serious punishment.
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The footage shows Verstappen pushing Norris onto the grass at turn four before he refused to get on the brakes and flew up the inside of Norris at turn eight forcing both cars off the road.
Norris was left furious with Verstappen for the second time in just seven days, and took out his anger over team radio.
He said: "I was ahead the whole way through the corner. This guy is dangerous. I just have to avoid a crash, it's the same as last time.
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"I'm going to end up in a wall in a minute."
Following the race, the FIA published an official document on Verstappen's antics and explained their penalty decisions in full.
Their statement read: "Norris was ahead of Verstappen at the entry [turn four], apex and towards the exit of the turn when he started being forced off track.
"The Stewards believe that the maneuver was done in a safe and controlled manner and that Norris would have been able to make the maneuver on the track had he not been forced off the track by Verstappen."
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In regard to the second incident, they explained: "Verstappen was ahead at the apex of Turn 8 and would have been entitled to racing room.
"However, he was not able to complete the maneuver on the track, left the track, and kept the lasting advantage gaining the position, incidentally forcing Norris off the track."