McLaren's hopes of having Lando Norris' penalty overturned have been dashed, in a devastating blow to their championship aspirations.

Norris was handed a five-second penalty during the United States Grand Prix, after being deemed to have breached the rules during a pivotal moment in the race.

The British driver had been locked in a fierce battle with title rival Max Verstappen, but the penalty saw him demoted to second place, leaving him lagging behind the Dutch driver in the championship standings.

McLaren had appealed the decision, arguing that the penalty was unfair and did not reflect the true spirit of the sport.

However, their hopes of having the verdict overturned were quashed, after a hearing by the relevant authorities.

The decision is a major setback for Norris and McLaren, who had been counting on the championship boost to stay in the hunt for the title.

'We are extremely disappointed with the decision,' said a McLaren spokesperson.

'We felt that we had a strong case for having the penalty overturned, but unfortunately, the authorities saw fit to uphold the decision.'

For Norris, the defeat is a bitter pill to swallow.

The young driver had been riding high on the back of a string of impressive performances, but the penalty has set him back in the championship standings.

With time running out in the season, Norris knows that he must bounce back quickly if he is to stay in the hunt for the championship.

'It's a tough break, but we can't give up,' he said.

'We'll regroup, recharge, and come back stronger than ever.'

As for Verstappen, the Dutch driver will be breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that his championship lead remains intact.

The reigning champion has been under mounting pressure in recent weeks, but this latest development has given him a much-needed boost.

'It's a great result for us,' said a Red Bull spokesperson.

'We knew that the competition was fierce, but we're pleased that justice has been served.'

The drama may be over for now, but the aftermath of the penalty saga is sure to rumble on, with McLaren vowing to bounce back stronger than ever.

As the championship battle rages on, one thing is for sure - the stakes have just got higher.