Source: REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
[Saba Sports News] When Norris’s McLaren car slightly moved forward on the starting grid at the Bahrain station, he never thought that Verstappen was reporting him to the team through the radio. The defending champion, like a rangefinder on the track, accurately captured the opponent’s slight infraction of 15 centimeters beyond the starting line. The FIA immediately issued a 5-second penalty, dropping Norris, who had risen to third, to fourth place. This is the second time in two years that Verstappen has reported a major competitor through the radio. At last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, he reported Charles Leclerc for track limit infringement. Telemetry data shows that Norris completed clutch engagement 0.3 seconds before the red light came on, and excessive tension caused the car to move forward. This 5-second mistake completely disrupted McLaren’s tactics, forcing Norris to make an early pit stop, and he lost another 8 seconds due to using old tires. This penalty turned the team’s possible first and second place into a mirage. After the race, Norris sarcastically expressed his sorrow: “Every time I’m about to get better, I ruin my own future.”