Lando Norris threatens to end friendship with Max Verstappen after 'stupid' collision in Austria

07/01/2024 06:03 AM

Lando Norris suggests his friendship with Max Verstappen could be irreparably damaged after the pair collided at the Austrian Grand Prix, costing both victory.

The two drivers, who are first and second in the Formula 1 championship, were involved in a fierce battle for the win at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.

It all came to a head with just seven laps remaining, when Norris attempted to make a move on the outside of turn three, only for Verstappen to squeeze his rival, resulting in contact between the McLaren and Red Bull.

Both received punctures and hobbled back to the pits, allowing George Russell to swoop in and claim an unexpected victory, his and Mercedes’ first since Brazil 2022.

Verstappen was found guilty of causing the crash and slapped with a 10-second penalty, though he still recovered to finish fifth.

But Norris was forced to retire, meaning Verstappen actually extended his championship lead to 81 points after 11 races, with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone up next this weekend.

Both drivers had been calling each other out for their aggressive driving prior to the collision and the mood soured further post-race, with Norris telling Sky Sports: ‘I don’t know what to say, I’m disappointed. Nothing more than that honestly.

‘It was a good race, I looked forward to a fair and strong battle. I wouldn’t say that wasn’t what it was at the end, so a tough one to take. It was a mistake free race from my side, I did a good job.

‘It’s a rule, you are not allowed to react to the driver [under braking] and that’s what he did three times out of three. Two times I managed to avoid it and the third time he just rode into me.

‘I’m just trying to enjoy my race, he was clearly slower in the end and he ruined his own race as much as he ruined mine. Nothing more I can do, I did my best and it wasn’t good enough but not through my own fault.

‘There are rules and if the rules aren’t followed there’s nothing I can do about that, I just had to do my job and go out and drive, and drive fast, and doing what I did today which isn’t good enough for the win.’

Asked whether their well-known, close friendship was on the ropes, the 24-year-old replied: ‘I don’t know, it depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I will lose a lot of respect for that.

‘If he admits to being a bit stupid and running into me and being a bit reckless in a way, then I will lose only a small amount of respect for him. It’s a tough one to take when fighting for the win, I was trying to be fair from my side and he just wasn’t.’

The Brit may well be losing respect for the Dutchman, as Verstappen attempted to absolve himself of any blame for the collision, calling the penalty he received ‘ridiculous’.

‘I mean of course from the outside, it’s hard to see how I brake. I always move my wheel before my brake and then you brake in a straight line,’ the three-time champion said.

‘I think the guy in the car knows best. Everyone can have their own opinion. From the outside its easier to judge its what happens.

‘His [Norris’] dive bombs, he’s so late on the brakes. I think it's the shape of the corner that provides these issues sometimes. It is what it is. It is never nice when it happens.

‘I need to look back at why and how we touched. Of course we will talk about it, its just what happens. I’ve had a lot of battles in my career.’