Lando Norris has called on Formula One to revise what he described as a “stupid rule” after an unfortunate series of events denied him victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday.
The race saw Kimi Antonelli strengthen his position as the sport’s youngest potential world champion, securing his eighth win in 14 rounds by capitalising on Lance Stroll’s crash, which brought out a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period. Stroll’s mishap allowed Antonelli to take a free pit-stop, a move that proved decisive.
Norris was leading comfortably when Stroll crashed on the 14th lap. However, Norris passed the pit-lane entry just as the VSC was deployed, forcing a stop on the following lap. A slow tyre change further added to his time loss. Having previously held a seven-second lead over Antonelli, Norris emerged from the pits 13 seconds behind.
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Despite demonstrating impressive pace and closing the gap to just a few seconds behind both Max Verstappen and Antonelli with ten laps remaining, Norris was unable to overtake on the newly introduced street circuit near Madrid. Consequently, he had to settle for third place, leaving him 106 points adrift and diminishing his chances of defending his world championship.
Reflecting on the race, Norris said, “We didn’t do anything that made us lose the race. We were just insanely unlucky today. I was the only driver on the grid who didn’t get a chance to pit during the VSC. I’ve benefited from this rule before, but today I lost a win, which is incredibly frustrating. I felt like I deserved more.”
When asked about potential changes to the regulations, Norris recommended reviewing the rule to allow coverage for at least one lap after the VSC deployment or considering blocking the pit entry to provide equal opportunities for all. “It’s an issue that’s been raised multiple times over the years, and it’s something the drivers want to discuss as a group,” he added.
Norris acknowledged that neither he nor the team could have predicted the timing of the VSC, saying, “I’ll discuss it with the team, but it’s not anyone’s fault.”
Antonelli’s victory, following an impressive comeback from 19th place in Monza, solidifies his commanding lead at the top of the championship standings, now 81 points ahead after George Russell finished fifth in the other Mercedes.
Antonelli remarked, “It’s great, but we must keep pushing and delivering our best. The lead is significant, but anything can happen, so I need to be ready for everything.”