Championship scrap turns uglier as Verstappen and Norris clash again in Mexico

Christian Horner brought out telemetry readings to his press conference to plead Max Verstappen's innocenceChristian Horner brought out telemetry readings to his press conference to plead Max Verstappen's innocence
Christian Horner brought out telemetry readings to his press conference to plead Max Verstappen's innocence | Getty Images
The F1 championship battle continues to become more and more toxic

The hangover from the USGP came to the fore in ugly fashion on Sunday as Max Verstappen was handed a 20-second penalty in the Mexican Grand Prix for two incidents involving title rival Lando Norris.

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After the Brit was given a penalty in Austin for passing off track, the pair came to blows seven days later in Mexico City, but this time it was the Red Bull Racing man who was deemed to have twice broken the rules of the road, first running his McLaren foe off the road before then forcing him off the track in a bid to re-pass him at the next corner.

His antics not only cost him in the battle for second place in the race, as the off-road pair were passed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, but then cost the Dutchman dear as he was handed a 20-second penalty, dropping him down the order to fight for the lower points, coming home sixth.

Norris would recover to claim second at the chequered flag behind the untouchable Carlos Sainz, who took his second win of the season, as the championship lead was cut to 47 points.

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After the race, Red Bull were typically bullish in their defence of Verstappen, with team boss Christian Horner bringing out telemetry from Norris’ laps as evidence that he was not forced off the circuit - the same thing Verstappen did a week earlier in USA, which Norris was penalised for - only further adding to the ugly nature of the championship run-in.

Horner said: “You can see quite clearly he has effectively come off the brakes, gone in super late to try to win that argument the way these regs are written. And then at that point you are penalised.

“We are in danger of flipping the overtaking laws upside down, where drivers will just try to get their nose ahead at the apex and then claim they have to be given room on the exit.”

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Verstappen was not the only car from Tilbrook to suffer a penalty - Sergio Perez, at his home race, managed to miss his grid slot and started the race out of position. It was a dreadful weekend for the crowd favourite as he as eliminated in Q1 once again, forced to start P18.

He then had run-ins with Liam Lawson - the man tipped to take his seat in Milton Keynes next season - and Lance Stroll which damaged his car and hampered his progress en route to a 17th place finish.

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