Jenson Button outlines what Lando Norris did ‘exactly right’ against Charles Leclerc in US Grand Prix Sprint

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Jenson Button has offered his verdict on the incident between Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc during the closing stages of the United States Grand Prix Sprint.

Norris had a good start from fourth on the grid and overtook both Ferrari drivers exiting the first few corners, before staying within two seconds of leader Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull driver led the race from lights to flag having maintained the gap to championship rival Norris, who found himself in the clutches of Carlos Sainz on the final lap after a mistake at the first corner.

Sainz managed to pass on the inside when Norris locked up, causing him to drop to third place on the podium. Leclerc then put pressure on the Briton, attempting a move down the inside of Turn 12 before going side-by-side through Turn 13.

Norris held off the Ferrari by taking the apex at the slow double-apex of Turns 14 and 15, which caused Leclerc to take avoiding action and nearly crash into the back of the McLaren.

He exclaimed over the team radio that he felt Norris was moving under braking; however, when speaking on Sky Sports after the event, Button offered his thoughts on the controversial move.

Lando Norris did ‘exactly the right thing’ defending from Charles Leclerc

The stewards investigated Norris after the session for potentially “erratic driving” on the final lap, although the McLaren driver himself did not know what the issue was because the sequence of corners requires drivers to brake and turn through an apex.

Button believes Norris did the right thing to hold off Leclerc on the final lap of the race, explaining how he caught out the Ferrari driver.

“He didn’t do anything wrong, that’s how you cover the corner off and Charles just didn’t expect it because nobody had covered that corner off,” said Button.

“Like George said, he left it wide open. I think Lando did exactly the right thing there, it just wasn’t expected by Charles.”

Lando Norris loses two points to Max Verstappen

Losing second to Sainz on the final lap meant Norris also missed out on an extra two points in the championship battle.

This means they are now separated by 54 points heading into the Grand Prix, but with Norris on pole and Verstappen second on the grid, it should allow the McLaren driver to close the gap.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

A win at the Circuit of the Americas would put him 47 points behind heading into the final five races of the season.

It would also extend McLaren’s hold in the Constructors’ Championship, now it appears Red Bull’s upgrades have started to work.