Toto Wolff claims “Bias” in penalty decisions as Russell and Norris penalized while Verstappen escapes in USA GP. Toto Wolff hits out at the stewards’ decision during the Austin race at COTA.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff expressed his dissatisfaction with the stewards’ decisions during the 19th round of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign, the United States Grand Prix, which was held on Sunday at the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas in Austin.

Toto Wolff criticized the rulings as “biased” after his driver, George Russell, received a five-second penalty for pushing Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas off the track at turn 12. Lando Norris was also penalized for overtaking Max Verstappen outside track limits at the same corner during their battle for third place in the race’s closing laps. In contrast, the Dutch driver escaped punishment for forcing his title rival Lando Norris wide at turn one during the race’s opening moments of the United States Grand Prix.

George Russell was taken aback by his penalty, exclaiming “What?” when informed about it mid-race. The Mercedes team boss later chimed in over the radio, telling him, “Total joke, George, with the penalty. Total joke.”

After the race concluded, George Russell inquired whether Max Verstappen had faced any consequences for the earlier incident. Toto Wolff responded:

“No he didn’t get a penalty. And at the end Lando got a penalty for being forced off and overtaking on the outside. I guess it’s a bit biased decision-making but, you know, not surprised.” – the Mercedes team boss explained.

The stewards felt that the Mercedes driver made the move without leaving enough space for Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber car on his outside. “The Driving Standard Guidelines provide that when overtaking on the inside the driver must not force the other car off the track and must leave a fair and acceptable width for the car being overtaken,” they noted. “This did not occur on this occasion. However in mitigation, a five-second penalty is imposed instead of the standard 10-second penalty because the stewards determine that the forcing off track was not deliberate, and the driver of car 63 [Russell] was in control of the car at all times.”

The Red Bull Dutch driver did not want to share his thoughts on the incident with Lando Norris and the penalty received by the McLaren driver when asked questioned about this moment following the Austin round: “I have my opinion, but I don’t need to say it here,” he said. “I’ll let the stewards do their thing.” – Max Verstappen replied,