Lando Norris wants Formula 1 to revise its VSC procedure after Kimi Antonelli gained the decisive advantage in Madrid.
Lando Norris has branded Formula 1's Virtual Safety Car procedure “unfair” after a late intervention helped Kimi Antonelli snatch victory from the McLaren driver at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
Norris calls for VSC rule changes
Norris believes the VSC's timing and structure cost him the race. Antonelli gained an advantage through pit timing and delta management, and the McLaren driver wants the procedure reviewed and amended.
The complaint brings a fresh rules debate into the championship discussion before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Antonelli will arrive with a 66-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Antonelli takes momentum to Baku
Antonelli backed up his Madrid victory by winning at Monza from 19th on the grid. The Italian became the first home driver to win the Italian Grand Prix in roughly 60 years and claimed his seventh victory of the 2026 season.
He has 292 points. Russell ranks second with 211, while Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton is third on 191. Norris has scored 186 for McLaren.
Russell has effectively counted himself out of the championship fight following Antonelli's wins in Madrid and Monza.
Ferrari investigates Hamilton's retirement
Ferrari has launched what it described as a “thorough investigation” into the brake failure that ended Hamilton's race. The retirement stopped Hamilton from reducing Antonelli's advantage and left him 101 points behind the Mercedes driver.
Charles Leclerc is fifth in the standings with 167 points. Red Bull's Max Verstappen follows on 145, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri on 120.
Calendar contingency work carries on
The closing schedule is unchanged. The Qatar Grand Prix is set for November 29, followed by Abu Dhabi on December 6.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has confirmed that Formula 1 examined alternative venues during its contingency planning, although Qatar and Abu Dhabi keep their places on the 2026 calendar.
Azerbaijan provides the next test
The championship returns at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from September 24 to 26. Baku will feature a Saturday race format, offering Norris and Antonelli's other pursuers their next chance to cut the Mercedes driver's 66-point advantage.
