Button demands F1 rule changes following Verstappen-Norris COTA battle

Turn 12 controversy

The debate ignited following a crucial battle between Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris on lap 52 at Turn 12.

Telemetry data revealed Norris had pulled ahead before the corner, only for Verstappen to make a late-braking maneuver that secured him the apex position – ultimately forcing both drivers off the track.

While Norris maintained his position after rejoining the circuit ahead, he was subsequently handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, a decision that ultimately handed third place to Verstappen despite finishing 4.1 seconds behind on track.

Rules vs racing ethics

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner defended the incident, emphasizing the current regulatory framework.

"The rules are very, very clear,"

Horner stated during a discussion with Sky Sports.

"You can see that he went out of track and clearly off the circuit."

However, Button, the 2009 World Champion, challenged this interpretation, highlighting a fundamental issue with the current regulations.

"It's frustrating for us watching,"

Button argued,

"because Lando overtook him off the track but then Max went off the track, and it's all about who's in front at the apex."

Call for regulatory reform

Button's criticism extended beyond the specific incident, pointing to a broader need for rule reform.

"We need a rule that you cannot push another car completely off the track and then I think we would have some better racing and we wouldn't have to keep talking about this,"

he insisted, drawing attention to similar incidents throughout the race at the same corner.

The former champion particularly noted Verstappen's tactical awareness of the current framework:

"Your driver is very good at understanding the regulations and it's more of the problem that we need better regulation of what is okay and what isn't."

Championship implications

The controversial finish marked a significant shift in recent form, with Verstappen outscoring Norris for the first time in five races.

The result extended the championship leader's advantage to 57 points in the Drivers' standings, though Horner suggested that McLaren's superior pace might have allowed Norris to mount another challenge had he returned the position immediately.

"With the hindsight of what we've seen the way that these things play out, yes, I would have,"

Horner reflected on the possibility of Norris giving the position back.

"You could see the pace advantage that Lando had. And there was always going to be doubts about that."