Norris penalty justified: 'In my eyes that's not racing'

There was a lot of controversy surrounding the penalties handed out during the race last weekend. Opinions were divided about the penalties handed out to Lando Norris and Sergio Perez during the race. Former Formula 1-driver Timo Glock has a clear opinion about it.

"This is a discussion without end," he said in an interview with Sky Germany, according to Motorsport-Total.com. Ralf Schumacher and Toto Wolff disagreed with the penalties, but Glock does not share that view.

Norris and Perez didn't leave any space on the outside, so they were both penalised. The German driver believes this is justified. "I think you have to leave space. If someone tries to go along the outside and I know I won't be penalised if I don't give him space, then he never gets the chance to overtake," he explained.

Glock continued: "In Formula 1 it is difficult to overtake. Spielberg offers certain opportunities, certain corners, to go with the exit of the corner and be on the inside at the next corner. If I know as a driver that I'm not going to be penalised, I just open the steering wheel and send my colleague wide into the gravel and that way I've defended my position. In my eyes, that's not racing."

Norris vs Perez

At Turn 4, Perez flew into the gravel trap because Norris didn't give him room. According to Glock, this is a problem.

"He [Norris] knows he's going to attack. He's seen it in the rear-view mirror and then he knows that if he goes to the outside, okay, then he goes with me on the outside. I have to make sure I give him the space he needs and I have to take that into account in my braking, how I brake and go into the corner," explained the Sky pundit.

Many people believe that drivers should just be able to race, but Glock believes this is a dangerous statement. "If we say: let them drive how they want, you will see that every overtaking manoeuvre by one of them will then end up in the gravel, and that is not the intention. So there has to be a certain baseline from the stewards, but also with the drivers," Glock finished.