Lando Norris said Max Verstappen benefitted from a rule "no one agrees with" as he won a dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix to leave the McLaren's title hopes hanging by a thread.

Verstappen surged to a terrific victory from 17th on the grid in Brazil, with Norris faltering after starting on pole.

Norris and Mercedes' George Russell – who were vying for the lead – both pitted on lap 29, but that strategy backfired as the red flag was shown following a crash involving Franco Colapinto.

With the race suspended, Verstappen was also able to change tires for the restart, negating Norris' advantage from pitting as the world champion raced to a commanding victory.

Norris had cut Verstappen's drivers' championship lead to 44 points by winning Saturday's sprint race but now sits 62 points adrift with just three races of the season remaining. 

The Brit refused to hit out at McLaren's strategy after the race, though, putting his struggles down to bad luck. 

"I have faith in the team in what they are saying and they have trust in me," he told Sky Sports F1. 

"It was just unlucky. I don't care about the hindsight side of things, that's luck for them, nothing more.

"They got lucky on a rule that no one agrees with. Probably they agreed with it today but every driver has disagreed with it in the past.

"Today it benefitted them, it could have benefitted us if we just stayed out, but that's a stupid thing to think of. 

"Just a bit unlucky today, nothing more. Of course, disappointing. Max drove well. He got a bit lucky but that's life."

Max Verstappen revealed he wanted to destroy the Red Bull garage in the hours before he delivered a wet-weather performance for the ages to win the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Verstappen had been left frustrated after Sunday's delayed qualifying session, when a crash by Lance Stroll and subsequent red flag saw him drop out of Q2.

The Dutchman's early exit saw him finish 12th, but a five-place grid penalty for an engine change dropped him to 17th, presenting an opportunity for Lando Norris to take a seismic chunk out of his drivers' championship lead. 

But a determined Verstappen then overcame the rain-affected conditions at Interlagos, climbing to P11 on the very first lap before making his charge into the top 10.

His remarkable comeback, which included five consecutive fastest laps, culminated in him passing Alpine’s Esteban Ocon for the lead on lap 43 before romping to victory.

“My emotions were all over the place, from wanting to destroy the garage (after qualifying) to winning the race,” said Verstappen. “It has been a roller coaster.

“It is unbelievable to win here from so far back on the grid. I was expecting to lose points in the championship.

"Now, I just want clean races. But I am not thinking about clinching the title in Vegas.”

A rain-affected race saw several incidents, with Lance Stroll, Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto and Carlos Sainz all failing to finish the race.

But Verstappen remained calm in those conditions, snapping his 10-race winless streak, while also becoming the first driver since Kimi Raikkonen at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2005 to emerge victorious after gaining 16 positions.

And the three-time world champion believed his latest win, which was his 62nd in the competition, was his best one to date. 

“The rain came, we stayed out, which was very sketchy, and I had to just keep the car on track,” continued Verstappen.

“It was undriveable in the conditions. I felt like I was driving a boat, or a jet-ski.

“There was a lot at stake because I had to be aware of the championship, so for me this is the best one (victory).

"And it is a massive boost for the team because it has been a tough period.”

Verstappen is now 62 points clear of Norris in the drivers' championship with just 86 points remaining, and can win a fourth consecutive drivers' title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

However, he insisted that the season was far from over, acknowledging he must remain perfect in the final three races to get over the line after an up and down season.

“Now it’s of course a great result, which if you look a few hours ago, was definitely the other way around, looking like we were going to lose a lot of points," he said. 

“So I’m very happy, but still three tough races [to go], so we just need to stay calm and make no mistakes.

Max Verstappen surged to a remarkable victory at a frenetic Sao Paulo Grand Prix, climbing from 17th on the grid to extend his championship lead over Lando Norris. 

Pole-sitter Norris could only manage sixth place after a series of errors on the slippery surface in Brazil, and is now 62 points behind Verstappen in the standings. 

The Dutchman can seal a fourth world title in Las Vegas simply by finishing ahead of Norris, who now needs to take more than 20 points from the final three races. 

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly took the final two podium places to transform Alpine’s season and move the team up from ninth in the constructors’ championship to sixth.

A chaotic, incident-strewn, wet race that involved a red flag, two safety car periods and a series of crashes and incidents, saw the top 10 change throughout the race. 

George Russell, who overtook Norris to take the lead at the first corner, finished fourth, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. 

Oscar Piastri helped McLaren improve their lead in the constructor's fight by finishing eighth, with the RB's of Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson ending just ahead of Lewis Hamilton to round out the top 10. 

Data Debrief: Mad Max edges closer

Verstappen's triumph earned him his 62nd win in Formula One. It is his first in the competition since the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this year, breaking a 10-race winless streak.

And he sealed the win in some style. It is the sixth time in the competition's history that a driver has climbed at least 16 places to end up winning the race, and the first since Kimi Raikkonen in Japan in 2005 (also 16).

Verstappen also set the fastest lap, his third this year. He now has 33 in his career and brings Red Bull to within one of 100 in the competition. 

He is the first driver in F1 history to win from 10 different positions, surpassing the record he previously shared with Fernando Alonso (nine).

Top 10

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

3. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

6. Lando Norris (McLaren)

7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

9. Liam Lawson (RB)

10. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Max Verstappen - 393

2. Lando Norris - 331

3. Charles Leclerc - 307

Constructors'

1. McLaren - 593

2. Ferrari - 557

3. Red Bull - 544

Lando Norris seized pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix by topping a chaotic, postponed qualifying on Sunday, while Max Verstappen will start 17th.

Qualifying was pushed back after heavy rain and thunderstorms prevented it from taking place on Saturday, with the race’s start time also brought forward by 90 minutes.

Five red flags punctuated a chaotic session as Williams pair Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon, Aston Martin duo Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz all crashed.

Norris was almost knocked out in the first session, but he recovered to beat Mercedes’ George Russell to pole, with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda third and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon fourth.

Norris said after the race: “There was a lot going on. I was struggling a lot at the start of the session, I worked on it a lot in the session. 

“A little surprised to be on pole but a good result for us.”

Verstappen, meanwhile, finished 12th but will start in 17th after taking a five-place grid penalty for the race, his fourth penalty in the last two races.

The three-time world champion was left seething about a delay in throwing the red flag following Stroll’s crash in the second session, which he believed allowed other drivers to demote him out of the top 10 before he was prevented from attempting another lap.

He could vault up the grid if some of the damaged cars are unable to start the race, though, while his long-time rival Lewis Hamilton also struggled as he qualified 16th.

Lando Norris claimed his first-ever victory in a sprint race, cutting Max Verstappen's lead in the Formula One drivers' championship standings to 45 points ahead of the 

Norris triumphed in the fifth sprint race of the campaign after fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri – who started on pole – was ordered to let his team-mate through two laps before the end.

The McLaren duo had been involved in a four-way fight for top spot from the off, alongside Red Bull's Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. 

The team had planned to prioritise Norris as he looks to force his way into title contention in the season's closing weeks, though their drivers almost missed the chance to trade places when Haas' Nico Hulkenberg crashed out on lap 21, bringing about a virtual safety car.

They managed to make the switch just before the VSC was deployed, though Verstappen – who finished third – could face a penalty for a potential infringement after attempting to challenge Piastri on the final lap.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Norris said: "We're not proud about it but we work well as a team together, so I thank Oscar. 

"We've done a great job as a team today and it was the result that we wanted. 

"Oscar deserved it, but we are doing what we have to do. I thank him and the team and we had great pace so I'm looking forward to qualifying and the race tomorrow.

"It felt good, we were clearly quicker than the guys behind so it was just difficult in the sprint race with lots to manage and push and that kind of thing but we executed it well."

Leclerc finished fourth ahead of Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, with George Russell in sixth ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Red Bull's Sergio Perez. Lewis Hamilton was down in 11th place.

Oscar Piastri explained he would be willing to follow team orders to help out Lando Norris in his championship battle after claiming pole position for the Sprint at the Brazil Grand Prix.

Piastri surged to the front row for Saturday's Sprint, edging McLaren team-mate Norris in the final moments, after the Briton had led proceedings throughout.

Norris was pipped by two hundredths of a second, though is in prime position to close the gap to Max Verstappen in the drivers' standings. 

Verstappen finished fourth, but is set to face a five-place grid drop for Sunday's race after Red Bull elected to change his power unit for the sixth time this season.

Norris is currently 47 points behind the Dutchman in the drivers' championship, with this weekend offering the perfect opportunity for him to close the gap at the summit. 

Despite his impressive effort, Piastri confirmed that the team is his priority, and he will focus on their overall result before they switch attention to the grand prix on Sunday. 

“We’ll see what the pace is like for both of us tomorrow. I think first and second is the first objective, and then we’ll see what order it is," Piastri told Sky Sports. 

“I know that I’m not in the running for the drivers’ standings and for the team, it doesn’t matter which way around we are. I know that’s the case and we’ll see.”

Quizzed further on whether he would give up the win outright, he added: “Yes. I’ve said I would from when we first had these discussions.

"It would be nice to win, but it’s one point difference, and it’s not the main race so we’ll see.

“Lando needs the points in the drivers’ standings a lot more than I do, but of course I still want to win.

"So if I put in the effort and have good pace, I’m sure that won’t go unnoticed, but let’s see.”

Charles Leclerc completed the top three for Saturday's sprint, with Verstappen just behind, while Carlos Sainz, the winner at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend, took fifth. 

Mercedes' George Russell came in sixth, while the Alpine of Pierre Gasly finished seventh.

Liam Lawson, Alex Albon and Ollie Bearman, who replaced the unwell Kevin Magnussen at Haas for the Sprint, rounded out the top 10. 

Max Verstappen has dismissed critics of his tussles with Formula One title rival Lando Norris ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Verstappen was on the receiving end of two separate 10-second penalties following a pair of incidents with Norris during last weekend's Mexican Grand Prix. 

He was given one penalty for pushing Norris off at Turn 4, and another for leaving the track and gaining an advantage as he reclaimed track position over his rival.

The moment came after the title contenders had been involved in another battle in Austin a week prior, which saw Norris handed a 10-second time penalty. 

Verstappen's racing tactics have come under the spotlight following two incidents in the last two races, but he labelled those critics as "annoying" and "biased".

"I don't listen to those individuals. I just do my thing," Verstappen told Sky Sports. "I'm a three-time world champion. I think I know what I'm doing.

"People that are objective and close to me. And not just there to stir.

"Some people are just being very annoying, and I know who these people are. I don't really pay a lot of attention to them anyway.

"And I think I've got to this stage of my career with the right people supporting me and making my own decisions. So, I think I know what I'm doing."

Verstappen leads the drivers' championship by 47 points over McLaren's Norris, though the upcoming sprint this weekend offers the Briton an opportunity to close the gap.

But Verstappen could be on the end of another penalty in one of the final four races of the season, after reports of Red Bull giving him a new engine surfaced. 

Those reports came after the three-time world champion was plagued by issues in Mexico, as he was forced to switch to another engine in his existing pool.

"I haven't heard anything yet," Verstappen said. "It's not [been] discussed. But I know that I will have to take one at some point, so we'll see."

With the overtaking opportunities on offer in Brazil, this weekend could be the best opportunity for Verstappen to get back on track.

He has now gone nine races without a pole position and 10 without a win, his worst streak since the penultimate round in 2020 when he went 17 qualifying rounds without a pole and 11 consecutive races without a victory. 

Quizzed on whether this circuit, where he won in 2023, could be the ideal chance for him to return to winning form, Verstappen said: "Honestly, it's something that is always unknown.

"You think that one particular track is the best place to take an engine or whatever penalty, but it's never guaranteed. It's a possibility."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Max Verstappen – Red Bull

While much of the conversation off the track has been on Verstappen's aggressive driving, he will be hoping to do his talking on the circuit this time around.

The Dutchman emerged victorious at Interlagos last year. However, the same driver has not won the Brazilian Grand Prix twice in a row since Nico Rosberg did so for Mercedes in 2014 and 2015.

Verstappen also has the fourth-most points at the circuit (136), behind only Fernando Alonso (139), Sebastian Vettel (154) and Lewis Hamilton (185).

Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes

This weekend could be an emotional one for Hamilton, who returns to a track where he made history in 2008.

Saturday marks 14 years since Hamilton became world champion for the first time in his career, finishing fifth in Sao Paulo after passing Timo Glock on the final lap to snatch the victory away from Ferrari's Felipe Massa. 

On the anniversary of his first title success, the Briton will also get behind the wheel of Ayrton Senna's title-winning McLaren between races, marking 30 years since the Brazilian's death. 

The winner in Brazil has started from pole position in eight of the last 10 races, though Hamilton's triumph in 2021, in which he started 10th, and Vettel's second place start in 2017 are the only exceptions.

Only Michael Schumacher, Carlos Reutemann (both four) and Alain Prost (six) have more wins in Brazil than Hamilton (three, level with Vettel), and he will be looking to cap a memorable weekend with his third victory of the season. 

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 362
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 315
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 291
4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 251
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 240

Constructors

1. McLaren – 566
2. Ferrari – 537
3. Red Bull – 512
4. Mercedes – 366
5. Aston Martin – 86

Lando Norris has called for a “cleaner battle” with title rival Max Verstappen ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen received two 10-second penalties for incidents early on in last Sunday's race in Mexico, which was won by Carlos Sainz.

He was awarded the first penalty for forcing Norris off the track at Turn Four on the 10th lap, while the second was given for leaving the track four corners later.

It meant the Dutchman finished in sixth position while Norris capitalised to finish second. Now, the McLaren driver wants to see fairer racing from his rival at Red Bull.

"It's what I said going into Mexico, I want clean, fair racing," Norris told Sky Sports.

"And that's what I do, that's what I provide and that's how I race. That's how I've always raced in my career. It's not for me to change, it's for the other side to change."

"I stayed out of trouble and did my job also, which is that. But every weekend is a new weekend. I don't know what to expect this weekend.

"Obviously, I hope, I expect a cleaner battle than what we had. But it's not up to me. I don't make the rules, I don't decide the penalties, I didn't do it. I just drive. The stewards see the race and they did a good job."

The result left McLaren in the lead in the Constructor’s Championship, ahead of Ferrari and Red Bull. While in the individual driver standings, Verstappen’s lead was cut to 47 points by Norris.

The 24-year-old was unfazed by how the nature of the rivalry might impact his personal relationship with Verstappen, however.

"Some of this is not personal," said Norris when asked if his relationship with Verstappen has changed.

"He wants to win the championship, I want to win the championship. But the way he can win the championship is a very different way to how I need to win the championship.

"Whether that changes how we are personally, it probably will a little bit, but this is not my concentration or place for concern at the minute."

Norris last took the chequered flag in September at the Singapore Grand Prix and has finished on the podium in one of the two races since. Verstappen, meanwhile, has failed to win a race since June when he finished first in Spain.

It leaves Norris feeling confident he can clinch his maiden title with four races left due to a number of reasons.

"My team, how we're performing every weekend. I think I'm driving very well, both in qualifying and races,” he explained.

“I feel like I've done a strong job over the last few months. I've still made mistakes and I've still not been perfect, but there's also times when we shouldn't have won and we shouldn't have had pole position and certain things.

"We did because I've been doing a good job - which is rare, but the confidence I've had in myself recently has helped me to keep believing.

"Probably the lack of performance that Red Bull have at the minute - both of them need to go together.”

Max Verstappen cannot turn an enthralling end to the Formula 1 season into a "demolition derby". 

Those were the words of former world champion Damon Hill, who criticised Verstappen for his driving at a controversial Mexican Grand Prix last weekend. 

The Dutchman received two 10-second penalties for incidents early on in Sunday's race, which was won by Carlos Sainz.

Reigning champion Verstappen was given one penalty for forcing Lando Norris off the track at Turn Four on the 10th lap, and then another for leaving the track four corners later.

Subsequently, Verstappen finished in sixth, while McLaren's Norris finished in second, closing the gap to 47 points in the drivers' championship with four races to go. 

"It can't just be a demolition derby just to keep your place, or deny everyone getting a place just because you don't want to be overtaken," said Hill on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast.

"So there needs to be a way of disciplining the driver.

"I think Max, if he carries on like that, there will be long-term questions over whether or not it was wise for him to drive like that.

"He's got so much talent, he's got so much ability. He could always use that skill to defeat his opponents. It shouldn't just be a dodgems race."

The incidents came a week after the pair's contentious battle in Austin, where Norris lost third place to Verstappen after being penalised for an overtake. 

Red Bull boss Christian Horner suggested the penalties Verstappen received were "very harsh", using data to back up his claims shortly after the race. 

Horner also added that Verstappen will "always drive aggressively" within F1's regulations, 

"There's never any attempt to publicly describe his driver in a way that other people would recognise it," Hill continued.

"It is always a protective comment from Christian about Max. It almost appears as though Max is free to do whatever he likes.

"His team will never criticise the way he drives. And I think if you're in a competition, that's probably fine to do that publicly.

"But really, at some point, there has to be a conversation. It's the responsibility of the team to also contribute to the driver's attitude."

Verstappen will, however, look to increase his advantage at the summit of the drivers' standings at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, a track he knows well. 

The 27-year-old won the last race at Interlagos in 2023, though there has not been a winner in two consecutive races at the Brazil circuit since Nico Rosberg in 2014 and 2015.

Lando Norris believes Max Verstappen deserved the 20-second penalty he was hit with at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Verstappen received two separate 10-second penalties for incidents early on in Sunday's race, which was won by Carlos Sainz.

Reigning Formula One champion Verstappen was given one penalty for forcing Norris off the track at Turn Four in the 10th lap, and then another for leaving the track four corners later.

It meant Verstappen saw his lead at the top of the driver standings cut to 47 points, while Ferrari are now ahead of Red Bull in the constructor standings.

And Norris has little sympathy for his title rival.

"It was not fair, clean racing," said Norris, as reported by BBC Sport. "I think he got what he had coming to him.

"I felt like I just had to avoid collisions, and that's not what you feel like you want to do in a race.

"He's in a very powerful position in the championship. He's a long way ahead. He has nothing to lose.

"It's not my job to control him. He knows how to drive. And I'm sure he knows that today was probably a bit over the limit."

Norris and Verstappen tussled at Austin, too, but the McLaren driver wants to race clean.

"Austin, I don't think anyone should have got a penalty," he added. "Let's say we both kind of did things wrong. I feel like I was made to do something wrong.

"The majority of people, the majority of drivers feel like that was the same thing.

"That's why you've heard of some of the rule changes that might be coming and those types of things. It's because there's a common consensus that it wasn't correct what happened in the result that I had last weekend.

"Today, I think, was another level on both of those cases. I was ahead of Max in the braking zone, past the apex. I am avoiding crashing today. This is the difference. I don't see it as a win or anything like this, but it's more that I hope Max acknowledges that he took it a step too far."

"I go into every race expecting a tough battle with Max. It's clear that it doesn't matter if he wins or second, his only job is to beat me in the race. And he'll sacrifice himself to do that.

"But I want to have good battles with him. I want to have those tough battles, like I've seen him have plenty of times. But fair ones. It's always going to be on the line. It's always going to be tough with Max. He's never going to make anyone's life easy, especially mine at this point of the year.”

Carlos Sainz led Ferrari to a second victory in as many weeks as Lando Norris and Max Verstappen clashed once again at an enthralling Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday. 

Sainz secured his second victory of the season, despite having lost the lead to Verstappen on the first lap, to become the first Ferrari driver to win in Mexico since 1990. 

But a week on from their tussle in Austin, Verstappen and Norris were again involved in an incident, resulting in the Dutchman recieving two 10-second penalties. 

Verstappen was given a penalty for forcing Norris off the track in an incident at Turn Four on lap 10 and another for leaving the track and gaining an advantage four corners later.

Norris took second place, catching and passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for second with nine laps to go, subsequently gaining points to Verstappen in the drivers' championship battle.

Behind the top three, Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were locked in combat throughout, but it was the seven-time world champion who claimed fourth place.

Verstappen's penalty saw him end the race in sixth, while Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg finished inside the top 10. 

Norris' team-mate Oscar Piastri was sandwiched in between the Haas duo in eighth, while Pierre Gasly picked up a rare point in what has been a disappointing season for the Frenchman.

Data Debrief: Smooth Operator

Sainz's triumph saw him claim a fourth win in Formula 1, and his second of 2024 after winning in Australia earlier this year - the first time he has two wins in a season.

The Spaniard has achieved all four of his victories as a Ferrari driver, equalling John Surtees, Eddie Irvine and Clay Regazzoni for the Italian team.

He also became the third Scuderia driver to win in Mexico after Jacky Ickx in 1970 and Alain Prost in 1990.

Top 10

1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

9. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Max Verstappen - 362

2. Lando Norris - 315

3. Charles Leclerc - 291

Constructors'

1. McLaren - 566

2. Ferrari - 537

3. Red Bull - 512

Carlos Sainz celebrated a near-perfect qualifying session as the Spaniard now aims to win from pole at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Sainz was the quickest through qualifying on Saturday, and will start ahead of reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen.

Lando Norris rounded out the top three, with Sainz's Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc – who won in dominant fashion in Austin last week – fourth on the grid.

It marks the sixth time Sainz, who is leaving Ferrari at the end of the season with Lewis Hamilton coming in as his replacement, has taken pole.

He said: "I'm very happy and [had] a great couple of laps.

"A lot of times around Mexico you always have a feeling that you can not put a lap together and it's extremely difficult with how much sliding there is, but today my two laps of Q3 were pretty much identical and almost perfect.

"I'm very happy because it's not normally the case around Mexico with how tricky it is."

Ferrari are third in the Constructors' Championship, with 496 points, eight behind Red Bull and 48 off pace-setters McLaren.

Sainz added: "It [the Constructors' Championship] is our number one priority. Especially if you win the race, those extra seven, eight points that you can win is important for the team in the Constructors'.

"I will be looking forward to getting that P1 into Turn One and hopefully our race pace will be good enough to win it."

Verstappen heads into Sunday 57 points clear of Norris in the driver standings, with just five races remaining.

"[The pressure] was quite a lot," said Verstappen. "I think [the circuit] is probably one of the hardest tracks to get right.

"Street circuits are difficult, but this one as well, as there is low downforce, it's very easy to have a lock-up or a slide, so it's one of the tricky ones on the calendar."

Three of the last four winners of the Mexican Grand Prix have come from third on the grid, meaning there is plenty of hope for Norris.

"I'm pretty happy with third honestly, I feel like I got to the limit of the car quite quickly which made us look good," he said.

"I struggled to get more out of it in the final two laps, Carlos and Max did good laps, especially Carlos who has been quick all weekend.

"No one has done proper long runs on the tyres that we are going to be on tomorrow so there are question marks for all of us. Ferrari have been very good in qualifying and long run pace over the last couple of races. It's going to be tough but we're in a good position so I'm looking forward to it."

Lando Norris accused Max Verstappen of "incorrect" driving following the incident at the United States Grand Prix that led to him receiving a time penalty.

The McLaren driver overtook Verstappen in the latter stages of the race but was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track to gain an advantage while making the pass.

The penalty meant that Norris dropped from third to fourth, and now sits 57 points behind the Drivers' Championship leader with only five races remaining.

McLaren have announced plans to launch a bid to overturn the penalty on Thursday, saying the Brit was left with no option but to go off the track as Verstappen broke late and ran wide and off the track on the turn.

"We'll ask questions. We've already asked certain questions. It's not something that needs to be done publicly or anything," Norris told Sky Sports F1 when asked about whether the rules need to be clarified when two cars go off track.

"But we can just have conversations on why I got the penalty because I don't believe it was correct. I think the majority of people don't agree it was correct, but that's life and sometimes it doesn't go your way.

"I think things just need to be clear for the future on what's allowed and what's not. I think the fact of getting off your brakes to achieve just the ruling of being ahead at apex, no matter how wide you run on the exit, is incorrect and I don't think that's how racing should be.

"Of course, that's the ruling at the minute and that's just what you've got to deal with. So I think there needs to be some tweaks."

Norris also admitted he did not think Verstappen's driving in the incident was "how racing should be".

"Max is the best in the world in this style of defence and attacking. So, I have to be at his level and at the moment I am not quite at the level I need to be at.

"It's a shame to say, but it's probably the truth. At the same time, it's a chance for me to learn and progress."

However, Verstappen did not understand the frustration, pointing out that he was following the rules during the incident in Austin.

"It's how the rules are written. I don't make the rules, first of all. I just follow the rules, as much as I can," Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.

"Of course, sometimes you get caught out with it. We've had that in the past. I just implement the rules and play with them.

"At the end of the day, you cannot overtake outside of the white line. That's a very clear rule, and I've been done by it myself.

"So, I don't understand why then, suddenly now, we need to ask and scream for changes in the regulations when it's been like that forever.

"I mean, I grew up go-karting, F3, F1 - you know that you cannot pass outside of the white line, it's as simple as that."

Lando Norris described the decision to penalise him for a passing move that saw both him and Max Verstappen go off the track as a "momentum killer" in the race for the Formula One Drivers' Championship.

The penalty given to Norris saw him leapfrogged by Verstappen onto the podium positions, with the McLaren driver dropping from third to fourth.

Following the race, the gap between Norris and Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship was 57 points with five to go and 146 points available.

The United States Grand Prix started controversially, with both Norris and Verstappen jostling for position on the first corner in a way that allowed race winner Charles Leclerc to gain ground on the duo.

While Norris admitted he had "driven like a muppet" at that point, an incident with four laps to go was more pertinent.

With Norris attempting an overtake, Verstappen defended the inside and both cars ran off the track with Norris emerging in front. The McLaren driver was penalised for overtaking off the track, although he saw it a different way.

"For me, the thing that is incorrect is what Max did, which is defend his position by going off the track and effectively keeping his position," he told BBC Sport.

"He over-defended and made a mistake and gained from that. I had to go off the track.

"It is impossible for people to know whether I could have made it on the track or couldn't, therefore you cannot steward that kind of thing."

Norris thought that the stewards should have waited to review the incident with both drivers after the race had finished.

"It's just a rash decision," he said. "They don’t hear or understand our points, which they should do after the race. They just want to make a decision at the time so they don’t alter points and podiums and things like that.

"But they don’t hear my point or my team's point or Max's point, which I don't think is the most correct thing. But today it's a penalty and there's not a lot I can do apart from accept that.

"It was a great battle. Max defended very well but he ended up on top and congrats to him."

Despite his magnanimous comments, Norris' frustration was palpable as he claimed that race officials were "just guessing."

He added: "I don’t think that's how stewarding should be done".

Max Verstappen came out on top in Formula One for the first time since June after Saturday's sprint victory at the United States Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver claimed pole position for the 19-lap race in Austin, holding on throughout to increase his drivers' championship lead by two points over Lando Norris, who finished third.

That ended a nine-race wait for victory, across eight races and one sprint, as Verstappen led from start to finish, ensuring the momentum in the world championship battle swung firmly back in his favour.

Carlos Sainz ended second after Norris went too deep into Turn One on the final lap, though the McLaren driver fended off Charles Leclerc – who finished fourth – after a near-miss between the pair.

George Russell started slow but recovered to take fifth, one spot ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, while Haas pair Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg made up the top eight.

Red Bull had struggled amid Verstappen's winless run, but will now take confidence into qualification later on Saturday before Sunday's main-event race as he looks to extend his 54-point lead over Norris.

"It feels a bit like old times! I'm very happy. If you look at the whole race, Ferrari was also very quick," a relieved Verstappen concluded.

Norris was subsequently confirmed to be under investigation after the race for "driving erratically" in his final-lap battle with Leclerc.

Data Debrief: Red Bull redemption

With Verstappen's eight-point haul in the sprint, Red Bull have now managed points in 62 consecutive events, equalling the third-best run in F1 history (also Mercedes, 62, on two separate occasions).

Verstappen's next challenge will now be to end his eight-race wait in Grand Prix action for victory, which is his worst such streak since going 11 races without a win in 2020.

Top 8

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

3. Lando Norris (McLaren)

4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

8. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 339

2. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 285

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 250

Constructors'

1. McLaren - 522

2. Red Bull - 483

3. Ferrari - 453