Norris expected Verstappen penalty after ‘clear’ block
Verstappen pipped F1 title rival Charles Leclerc to claim pole position by just 0.010s in Japan, but the Red Bull driver was investigated by the stewards following a scary moment with Norris during Q3, but escaped with a reprimand so the grid will not change.
The Dutchman lost control of the rear of his car as he tried to warm his tyres on an out lap, forcing the quicker Norris to take to the grass at the flat-out 130R to avoid a collision.
Norris pinned the blame on Verstappen for a “clear” block and believes the champion-elect should have been punished.
"It was quite clear he tried to do that [block me], yeah,” Norris told Sky.
"There’s no rule on what you can do, but doing what he did is something that you cannot do.
“People always overtake before the last corner, as much as everyone always agrees to it, everyone always does it, so it doesn’t matter.
“He probably would have done the same if he was in my situation, but I wouldn’t have swerved at him if I was in his situation.”
Asked if he expects Verstappen to be penalised, Norris replied: "Oh yeah, for sure.”
But Verstappen felt Norris was at fault for creating the scenario by trying to overtake him in the first place, accusing the Briton of a lack of respect.
"We were on our outlap and we were all lining up to create a gap to everyone and then somehow he still wanted to get me into the chicane,” Verstappen explained.
“But I was on the point of accelerating and I was on very cold tyres, so I had a little moment and that’s why he had to drive around me.
“But if he had just a bit more respect for me, because everyone is anyway lining up and I don’t think anyone is trying to pass into that last chicane, so by trying to pass me you create that kind of thing.”
