- China's central bank cuts two key rates to boost economy
- BHP goes on trial in London over 2015 toxic Brazil mine disaster
- Pakistan passes constitutional amendments aimed at courts
- Fungi finding: mushroom hunters seek new species and recognition
- Beware: US election disinformation masked as 'breaking news'
- Celtics seek repeat, Lebron and son unite as NBA season opens
- Poston holds off Ghim for PGA Tour triumph in Las Vegas
- Unbeaten Chiefs march past 49ers, Lions hand Vikings first loss
- Moldova president blames interference for potential EU referendum loss
- King Charles to spotlight conflict, climate in Australian capital
- UN chief seeks 'significant' funding at summit to save nature
- Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in Cuba amid huge power outage
- McLaren blast 'inappropriate' penalty as Norris F1 title hopes hit
- La Rochelle bounce back against Bordeaux-Begles
- Lethal Lewandowski helps Barca rout Sevilla, Atletico triumph
- Leclerc wins US Grand Prix as Norris, Verstappen clash
- Lewandowski powers five-star Barca to Sevilla rout
- Lions hand Vikings first loss, Packers down Texans
- In escalation, Israel bombs Hezbollah-linked finance group
- Martinez keeps Inter on Napoli's tail with Roma winner
- Marseille return to form with Montpellier thrashing
- Lula cancels trip to summit in Russia after injuring head
- One dead as flooding hits Italy's northeast flatlands
- Browns quarterback Watson exits with Achilles tendon injury
- Liverpool 'showed up' to beat Chelsea challenge: Slot
- 'Once in a lifetime' Kerr leads New Zealand to Women's T20 World Cup triumph
- Pope names 14 new saints, including martyrs of Damascus
- Malinin captures third straight Skate America crown
- Sri Lanka triumph in rain-affected first ODI against West Indies
- Liverpool pass Chelsea test to reclaim Premier League top spot
- Kerr leads New Zealand to maiden Women's T20 World Cup triumph
- Tens of thousands rally in Georgia for EU ahead of pivotal vote
- UN biodiversity summit opens under guerrilla threat in Colombia
- 'Smile 2' scares up the biggest audiences in N.American theaters
- 'I deserved this,' says Bautista Agut after 12th career title
- Thousands protest in Spain's Canary Islands against mass tourism
- Lavreysen reaps 16th gold at track cycling worlds
- Sorloth double helps Atletico beat Leganes
- Libyan held in Germany over suspected Israel embassy plot
- New Zealand post 158-5 against South Africa in Women's T20 World Cup final
- Teen defender Rothe lifts Union past struggling Holstein Kiel
- Fans gather to mourn Liam Payne's death at UK and other vigils
- Stones bags controversial winner as Man City survive Wolves scare
- Eight-storey building collapses in Kenyan capital
- Tributes pour in for Olympic champion Chris Hoy after terminal cancer revelation
- Oil-rich Iraqi Kurdistan votes, shadowed by economic struggles
- Moldova votes on EU future amid fears of Russian meddling
- Napoli keep Serie A lead with win at Empoli
- Tanak triumphs to set up world rally title decider in Japan
- Nepal protesters clash with police over politician's fraud charges
McLaren blast 'inappropriate' penalty as Norris F1 title hopes hit
McLaren team chief Andrea Stella blasted as "inappropriate" a controversial penalty handed to Lando Norris at the United States Grand Prix which could shatter his world title dream.
Race stewards penalised Norris and relegated him to fourth behind three-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull after the pair clashed and ran off-track in the closing laps.
A five-second penalty given to Norris, who finished third on track at the flag, pushed him back to fourth behind the series leader and dealt a blow in his bid to catch and pass the Dutch driver in this year's title race.
Norris was adjudged to have gained an advantage by running off the track when he swept outside Verstappen on lap 53 or the 56-lap race.
The incident cost Norris valuable points and helped lift Verstappen to a 57-point lead in the title race with 354 to Norris's 297 with five races left.
"My view is that the way the stewards interfered with a beautiful piece of motorsport was inappropriate because both cars went off track so both cars gained an advantage," said McLaren team chief Andrea Stella.
"It's a shame because it cost us a podium, it cost us a race where we stayed patient after we were pushed off in the first lap, at the first corner. We accepted it.
"Having said very clearly our position, this kind of position by the stewards, this kind of decision cannot be appealed. For us the chapter is now closed and we move on to the next race.
"But both cars went off track so for us there was no doubt that the manoeuvre was correct."
Norris was philosophical about his plight after a feisty drive, having recovered from a poor first lap when he wasted his fourth pole in five races and fell to fourth.
"Not my best race," he said. "With the loss in turn one and just the racing at the end, it clearly wasn't enough -- so that's life. I didn't do a good enough job, but I gave it a good shot so I'm doing my best.
"My best isn't good enough sometimes. It just wasn't our day today."
He added that he was considering talking to the stewards about their decision, but felt "there’s plenty of scenarios where people wouldn't get a penalty in cases like what happened."
He said it was difficult to know if he should have given his place back immediately during the race.
"It's tough to know, but maybe that was my one opportunity that I had. Max was defending well and it wasn't easy to overtake."
Verstappen said he had endured a difficult race without the pace in his car to attack.
"It was tough, a tough battle and I tried everything to keep him behind me. But it was fun, too," he said.
- 'Worked like crazy' -
"A podium is a good result. I have my own opinion on the move, but I dont need to say anything. I'll let the stewards do their thing."
The race was won buy Charles Leclerc who led home Carlos Sainz in a Ferrari one-two. Leclerc’s win lifted him to 275 points in third place in the championship.
"We did a great job and the pace of the car was really good and that's thanks to the engineers and the team," said Leclerc.
"They've worked like crazy for the upgrades and it is paying off now. We could not have dreamed for anything better.
"It all worked and we are very happy. Now we are targeting the constructors title."
It was Leclerc's first win in America, his third this year and the eighth of his career as Ferrari revelled in their first US Grand Prix one-two since 2006.
Ferrari's success at the Circuit of the Americas lifted them to 496 points in the teams' title race behind McLaren on 544 and Red Bull on 504 with the Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix to come on the next two successive weekends.
C.Amaral--PC