Laurence EdmondsonOct 23, 2025, 07:59 PM ETClose• Joined ESPN in 2009 • An FIA accredited F1 journalist since 2011
Verstappen: Red Bull need to be perfect for F1 title challenge (0:42)Max Verstappen and Lando Norris speak after the United States Grand Prix. (0:42)
MEXICO CITY — Lando Norris has laughed off Red Bull’s attempts to remove tape from the pit wall that he was using as a visual aid to ensure his car was not too far forward in its grid slot.
At the U.S. Grand Prix, the FIA handed Red Bull a €50,000 fine, half of which has been suspended, after one of its mechanics attempted to re-enter the grid once the formationI lap had started to remove the tape.
Norris has been using tape on the pit wall as a back-up to markings on the grid itself to ensure he does not incur a penalty for starting too far forward.
Although Red Bull’s fine was issued for re-entering the gate area of the pit wall against the instruction of marshals — and not for the attempted removal of the tape itself — the story has gathered momentum ahead of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Norris compared the actions of the mechanics to “side quests” in the title fight between the McLaren drivers and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, saying it made no difference to his start in Austin as he only ever uses the tape as a back-up.
“We just put it there in case. Yeah, so it made it extra funny, because they got a penalty for it and I didn’t even need it. They also tried to remove it and failed, because we made it special, so they couldn’t take it off even.
The British driver revealed that Red Bull mechanics have successfully removed the tape at previous races, leading McLaren to make cuts in the tape or add two layers to make it harder to remove in one piece.
“It’s just a backup if I need it,” Norris said. “I used it for a little while and they tried to remove it already, I think in Monza and a couple of other places. So that’s why we kind of made it like the F1 car park passes that you can never get out the window ever, like that.
Norris said McLaren would continue to apply the tape, even though he more regularly uses a yellow line painted next to the grid box as a visual aid to line up his car.
“I’ll continue to use it. Sometimes I’d never use it at all because it’s almost too far away sometimes to do it. But most, I’d say 95% of the races now, I use the line on the grid.
News of the Austin incident followed five races in which Red Bull’s Verstappen has closed the gap to Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri in the title fight, adding further tension to the rivalry between the two teams.
“I guess in Austin it took a bit longer [to leave the grid] for whatever reason and, yeah, the gate closed, but I don’t know if he was instructed or not in the right way to stay out of it.
“I think it’s quite clear, right, how they explained it also to the stewards. So, I think that is quite understandable that you get fined for that.
“And it doesn’t even have anything to do with the tape — you can’t hold up the procedure of closing the gate.”
Verstappen: Red Bull need to be perfect for F1 title challenge (0:42)Max Verstappen and Lando Norris speak after the United States Grand Prix. (0:42)
“But it didn’t matter, I didn’t use the tape, so it was extra amusing, because I didn’t need it.
“So yeah, it was amusing to kind of try to see them taking it off and then not going to plan.”
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris speak after the United States Grand Prix. (0:42)
Close• Joined ESPN in 2009 • An FIA accredited F1 journalist since 2011