Formula 1 - Verstappen versus Norris: the end of a friendship?
My friend Max Verstappen apologized quickly in public, but Lando Norris waited in vain for him. "If he says he didn't make a mistake, then I'll lose respect for him," Norris said after the escalation in the Formula-1 championship. World champion Verstappen had caused a serious accident in Austria, which meant an end for Norris and even moved him further ahead in the WM standings. "We'll talk about it, but maybe not right away," Verstappen, who gave away the win but still finished fifth, said.
"It wasn't my fault. I'm disappointed in him," Norris said. The 24-year-old British driver had the chance for pole position in Spielberg, but a hard-fought duel in the 64th of 71 laps caused him to retire and he now has an 81-point deficit before his home race at English Silverstone on the coming Sunday. "I had hoped for a fair race, but that wasn't it," Norris said, whose car was severely damaged, and he added: "I tried to be fair to him."
What are the consequences? The friendship between Verstappen and Norris is well documented. After the races, they often fly together in Verstappen's private jet to their favorite destination Monaco, where they meet in their free time. Norris will certainly not take a step towards Verstappen after the incident. "Will the friendship between Max and I come to an end? I don't know, that's up to him," Norris said on Sky Italy's microphone and added about a possible conversation: "It's not up to me to say that, he has to say it."
Verstappen: Both unhappy
At least on the outside, there is now a deep freeze. They have known each other for a long time, but have never had to deal with such an accident before. Norris is two years younger than Verstappen and raced in a different age group in Formula 1, where the crash first occurred.
The cars touched unfavorably, both received a flat tire and dragged themselves back to the pit lane, but only Verstappen's car continued to run. George Russell took advantage of this and won the Grand Prix in the Mercedes. Even if Verstappen now admits a mistake and says, "I did something stupid and crashed into him," Norris said.
Memories of hard battles with Hamilton
The incident reminds of the 2021 season when Verstappen had several heated battles with record world champion Lewis Hamilton and only mild penalties followed. In Silverstone and Monza, they got particularly close to each other, but they were hardly sanctioned. "These things are coming back up," said McLaren team boss Andrea Stella. This championship battle three years ago also escalated, and Verstappen was accused of recklessness. A missing consistent enforcement of the rules by the stewards is the reason why the drivers allow themselves increasingly risky maneuvers.
Verstappen announced that he intended to deal with the events, but his focus is on looking ahead. A bottleneck in the pit stop, the wrong strategy in his view, and tire wear issues led to it becoming tight at the front for him despite his long stint in the lead. "Our race was bad, we made many mistakes and were too slow," he said. After a chain of errors from Red Bull, Norris was suddenly right behind in the rearview mirror. "There are definitely a few things we need to improve for next week," Verstappen said.
Damages Verstappen's reputation?
Second place in the championship Norris felt with his mechanics, who had a lot of work ahead of them before it went out on the track at Silverstone on Friday. "My car is completely destroyed, that's sad for the team," said Norris, who admitted to himself but also made no compromises. Because he drove off the track too often, he received a five-second time penalty. Nevertheless, he called Verstappen's maneuver "stupid and reckless".
Strangely subdued was the usually aggressive Red Bull leadership. "I considered it a normal racing incident. Both were fighting very hard against each other," said team boss Christian Horner. His counterpart Stroll from McLaren saw the blame solely on the three-time world champion. "We have a lot of respect for Red Bull and Max, they don't have to do that," said the Italian: "That's a way to damage your reputation."
- The accident happened during the GP Austria in Austria, a significant race in the Formula 1 motorsport calendar.
- Lewis Hamilton, a renowned figure in Formula 1, was watching the incident unfold from afar, likely following the events in Italy, where Sky Italy broadcasted the race.
- Norris' car, heavily damaged from the incident, needed extensive repairs before the next race, which was set to take place on Sunday in Silverstone, England.
- The incident reminded some of the hard-fought battles between Verstappen and Hamilton in the 2021 season, where penalties were mild despite close encounters.
- The Mclaren Group Limited, the team that Norris represents, expressed concern over the incident and its potential impact on team morale and reputation.
- Max Verstappen, representing the Mercedes-Benz and Red Bull teams, acknowledged his mistake but was keen on moving forward, focusing on improving performances and strategy.
- As they prepared for the next race, both drivers had to navigate the complexities of their friendship, a bond that had been tested by the accident.
- The tension between Verstappen and Norris was palpable, as seen in the duo's private jet trips to Monaco—a favorite destination they often visited after races.
- The incident raised questions about the consistent enforcement of rules in Formula 1, as drivers like Verstappen and Norris continued to push the boundaries of what was considered acceptable racing behavior.
