Was Norris' punishment justified?: 'The rules say yes'

The talk of the Austrian Grand Prix, which Max Verstappen won easily, was the penalty Lando Norris received for the incident with Sergio Perez. According to the stewards, Norris forced an overtaking Perez off the track.

This earned him a five-second penalty. In the F1 BBC podcast Jolyon Palmer says he also often sees them not given. "Was it a penalty? It was given, but it is also sometimes not given. It was a long time ago that one was given. According to the rules Norris indeed forced Perez off the track" Palmer then gives two examples where for the same offence not the same penalty was given.

"He wasn't given when Gasly did it to Norris two races ago in France. Nor was it given two years ago when Leclerc was forced off the track by Verstappen in Austria. Verstappen won the race then."

Fewer penalties for the same offence

However, Jack Nicholls thinks that since a certain point penalties for moments like this are not given out that often anymore. "I don't think they've been given since Vettel and Hamilton in Canada, when Vettel forced Hamilton off the track and everyone shouted 'let them race!' After that it hasn't happened very often. The number of times this penalty is given has become much less."

Sergio Perez would then even receive two five-second penalties for the same offence and end up dropping far down the results. It didn't turn out to be the Mexican's day.