McLaren driver Lando Norris has condemned Max Verstappen’s driving as desperate and reckless after the pair clashed as they battled for the lead at the Austrian Grand Prix, with Norris being knocked out and Verstappen just behind Finished fifth. George Russell took advantage of the collision to secure victory for Mercedes at the Red Bull Ring.
The pair had been competing fiercely and on lap 64 of the 71-lap race, Norris attempted to overtake for a third time and they collided with each other as the 24-year-old British driver tried to go around the outside of the corner. All three were punctured. broken.
Norris then gave a blunt assessment of what happened. “I’m looking forward to a tough fight with Max, I know what to expect and I’m looking forward to being aggressive and pushing the envelope,” he said. “But all three times he was doing something that could have easily led to an accident, it was a bit reckless in a way, it seemed a bit desperate from his perspective.”
The pair have been good friends for some time, but Norris, who is Verstappen’s main challenger for the title and is 81 points behind the Dutchman, is irritated. “I don’t think I need to change anything I’m doing, I’m on the edge of the track and I don’t know what else I can do and he’s always been a little bit like that,” Norris said. “Sometimes I think he goes a little too far.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was equally scathing about what happened, referring to Verstappen being accused of the same while racing against Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 championship Problematic driving behavior.
“People all over the world know who is responsible,” he said. “If you don’t address these issues honestly, they will come back. In the past, when there have been disputes with Lewis, these issues have not been addressed appropriately and have required harsher punishment.
Verstappen admitted he had to discuss the matter with the British driver, but not immediately after the race, insisting Norris was too eager to try to pass and it was a racing incident. “We will discuss it, but not now, now is not the time,” he said.
“I know exactly what to do in situations like this, and some of them were really late dive bombs, so kind of just sending them inside and hoping other people avoid it, which isn’t always how you play.”
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Russell’s victory was Mercedes’ first since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix.
