Spielberg’s Turn 3 would be etched in the memories of F1 fans. What otherwise seemed like a straightforward win for Max Verstappen turned out to be an absolute thriller after the unfortunate incident. As a result, the crash of lap 64 crowned George Russell the champion of the Austrian GP. Starting from P2, Lando Norris’s race ended abruptly after a collision with his longtime friend, Max Verstappen.
Thus, the crash started a row of criticism towards Max Verstappen’s risky driving. The McLaren team principal criticized him, and even his friendship with Norris was on the verge of breaking apart. However, as emotions settled, things returned to normal, and Verstappen’s Australian friend extended a hand of friendship once more.
“Doesn’t Need To Apologize,” Lando Norris And Max Verstappen Finally Establish Truce Ahead Of The British GP
When the Austrian GP kickstarted, the orange army was excited to see the home team clinch the silverware. Moreover, Max Verstappen was in a healthy lead despite getting a consistent challenge from Lando Norris. However, on lap 64 out of 71, Norris saw an opening to drive past Verstappen. Subsequently, in an attempt to block Norris, the Dutchman made an error judgment, and the two collided. Both the cars sustained significant damage, and the two drivers limbed back to the pit. After that, Verstappen returned to the circuit after a long delay while Norris had to end the race. Both were riled up due to the mishap as they were close to victory. Thus, a row of pointing fingers at each other started, and Norris claimed he would lose respect for his friend if he didn’t accept the mistake. The storm of hatred was taking shape, and a strong bond was on the line.
However, as the emotions settled, Lando Norris gained a clear perspective and claimed Verstappen didn’t need to apologize. In the Thursday drivers’ conference, the McLaren driver confirmed that all that he said was out of frustration and that there is no grudge between the two excellent drivers. Further, he blamed the adrenaline rush and emotions for the sudden outburst, as he is extremely passionate about the sport. Ultimately, Norris believes it was a mall contact, but the results were prominent and terrible for both the racers.
Max Verstappen Reflects On The Chaos And Peak Emotions
On the other hand, Max Verstappen opened up about the incident, confirming that the duo had a chat afterward. In an interview, Verstappen said he received a text from Norris. The Dutchman was about to text his friend, but he already had a message.
Further, he appreciated Norris’s gesture of claiming him to be a great friend. Along similar lines, he also blamed the emotions and frustration for the aftermath of the incident. However, he confirmed the chaos did not impact their friendship as Norris is a ‘nice guy.’