Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella has called for the FIA to reevaluate their penalty system following Lando Norris's severe punishment at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Norris received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty, the most severe punishment short of disqualification, for failing to slow down during yellow flags. While Stella acknowledges the infraction occurred, he questions the severity of the penalty given the circumstances.

The McLaren boss emphasizes two critical factors that should be considered when issuing penalties:

• Specificity: The context and immediate danger of the situation
• Proportion: The relationship between the infringement and the punishment

"The FIA themselves were going on and off with the yellow flag, and at some stage the yellow flag was even removed," Stella noted, highlighting his concerns about the penalty's severity. The incident involved a mirror on track, which Stella suggests didn't warrant such a harsh response.

The penalty significantly impacted McLaren's championship battle, dropping Norris from second to tenth place. The team now leads Ferrari by just 21 points in the constructors' championship heading into the final race.

Stella criticized the seemingly rigid application of rules, stating it appeared decisions were made from "a book with a lot of dust on the cover." This comes amid recent FIA leadership changes, including a new race director and the dismissal of senior steward Tim Mayer.

Despite the setback, Stella maintains confidence in Norris, praising his contributions to McLaren's current championship position and expressing optimism about the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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