FIA revised racing guidelines after Verstappen-Norris clash in Austin

At the 2024 United States Grand Prix, a five-second penalty changed the final order in the fight for third between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The decision became a focal point in a debate about Formula 1’s wheel-to-wheel guidance; the FIA published revised Driving Standards Guidelines in February 2025.

In the closing laps at Turn 12 of Circuit of the Americas, Norris tried to pass Verstappen around the outside for third. He ran wide, rejoined ahead of the Red Bull and held the place to the finish. The stewards ruled Norris was not level with Verstappen at the apex and had lost the right to the corner under the guidelines then in force. They judged that he had left the track and gained a lasting advantage.

The penalty dropped Norris to fourth and promoted Verstappen to the final podium place. The stewards reduced it from the guideline baseline of 10 seconds because, in their assessment, Verstappen’s proximity had forced Norris wide.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella disputed the decision, arguing that both cars had gone off track and gained an advantage. Norris said he believed Verstappen should have yielded, while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner regarded the ruling as clear-cut.

At the following weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, multiple drivers raised the guideline wording with the FIA. They argued it could allow a driver defending the inside to release the brakes to claim the apex first without keeping the car on the circuit. The FIA confirmed that talks were under way. During a later meeting in the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, the FIA and Grand Prix Drivers’ Association agreed to defer a formal rewrite until the new year.

The February 2025 revision required a car overtaking on the inside to follow a reasonable racing line and remain within track limits throughout the manoeuvre.