Norris calls for rule changes after 'unfair' Madrid defeat

Lando Norris says the timing of the Virtual Safety Car at the Spanish Grand Prix was "unfair" as it cost him victory to Kimi Antonelli in Madrid; watch every session of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from September 24-26 with a Saturday race, live on Sky Sports F1

Lando Norris has called for a change to Formula 1's Virtual Safety Car rules after he lost out on victory to Kimi Antonelli at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Norris was six seconds ahead of Antonelli when a VSC (Virtual Safety Car) for Lance Stroll's stricken Aston Martin was called on Lap 15, which was a trigger point for everyone to make a pit stop as you lose less time by pitting under a VSC or Safety Car compared to normal green flag conditions.

However, Norris just passed the pit entry when the VSC came out, whereas his rivals behind could pit as they had not reached that part of the track.

The VSC only lasted two minutes, so Norris was unable to pit on the next lap as the VSC period ended just before he reached the pit entry. He pitted under green flag conditions and dropped to fifth on the track, before recovering to third by the end of the race.

"I was just unlucky. I was the only one on the whole grid to not get a pit stop and lost 20 seconds. This was out of there [the team's] control, my control. It's a rule that shouldn't define a race," Norris told Sky Sports F1 .

"A race should be won by the guy who can put in the best performance. Maybe you take a risk by running long in a stint and maybe you get a Safety Car and things can help because you know that's one of the big factors.

"But for everyone to get a VSC pit stop and for me to not, it's just.. unfair. But it's happened in the past. Others have won from it, I've probably won from it in the past. I just don't think many people have lost a race win over it. It's frustrating. I don't feel that's the way you should lose."

Race-winner Antonelli stated he "felt bad" for Norris and the McLaren driver feels everyone should have the opportunity to pit, should a VSC be called.

"We have spoke about it in the past in drivers' briefings saying they [race control] should leave it out for at least a lap, so it's equal for everyone," he continued.

"I was the only one that lost out and I lost out on about 20 seconds of race time and that's not how it should be."

Sky Sports F1's Naomi Schiff “I don’t think the rule needs to change. The rule is there for safety. “There’s always a question mark on people changing tyres under a red flag but the VSC and Safety Car is there for the safety of a driver who crashed or gone off track and the marshals on track. “Kimi Antonelli has been one of the most unlucky people with VSCs and Safety Cars. Monaco he missed two Safety Cars, Austria as well. “It’s come around. It hurt Norris this week and will benefit him at another point.”

McLaren chief executive Zak Brown told Sky Sports F1 : "They [the VSCs] were cruel today twice!

"Lando was gone, the team did a great job and the VSC came out a couple of seconds after we went by and went away a couple of seconds before we could pit.