The Japan Times - Luckless Norris wants change in safety car rules

Speaking after finishing third behind victorious Italian Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes and Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, the world champion said he was unlucky to miss out on a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) pit-stop that cost him the race.

“I need to speak to the team, but it's not a guessing game,” he said.

"I was just unlucky. I was the only one on the grid that doesn't get a pit stop, so I lose 20 seconds on the whole grid.

"It's just out of my control, it's just out of their control. It is a rule that should not define a whole race."

Norris, who led the race from pole position, lost out when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll went off into the barriers at Turn 20 following a brake failure, an incident that led to a VSC deployment.

He had approached and passed the pit lane entry when this happened, meaning he had to complete a lap before he could pit for a tyre change.

All of his rivals, running more than four seconds behind him, had the chance to pit during the VSC period which gave them an advantage as the race was proceeding at a slower controlled pace.

- 'Shrug it off' -

By the time Norris came round again, the VSC period had finished and racing resumed, circumstances that meant that the fastest driver, leading the race, was punished while his pursuers were assisted.

"A race should be won by the guy who can put in the best performance, who maybe takes a risk by going long in a stint," said Norris.

"Maybe you get a safety car later and things can help you because you know that is one of the big factors, but for everyone to get a safety car, a VSC pit stop, it means nothing.

"It's unfair but it has happened in the past. Others have won from it. I've probably won from it in the past. But I don't think many people have lost a race win over it so it is frustrating.

"I don't think it should be the way you lose. We have spoken about it in the past in drivers' briefings and said you should leave it [a safety car] out for at least a lap.

"So then it is equal for everyone. Today, I was the only one who lost out. And I lost out on about 20 seconds of race time and that is not how it should be."

His McLaren boss Zak Brown said it had been a cruel race for Norris.

"Lando was gone and the team did a great job," he said.

"But the VSC came out a couple of seconds after we'd gone by and then it went away again a couple of seconds before we could pit.

"There was nothing we could do. It was great to hear Lando’s radio message to just shrug it off, but I think it was our race by 20-25 seconds.

"He was dominant and he was gone. He was managing it great – tyre wear was great. He was in a league of his own. He’s got a trophy, yes, but it was P3. Not P1."

M.Ito--JT