Lando Norris and Max Verstappen’s friendship could get sour as they battle for the WDC title. The duo has been involved in some fierce skirmishes this season. It all started in the Austrian GP when Norris and Verstappen fought for a P1 finish. However, the two locked wheels and ran into the Pirelli wall. This prematurely ended their race, leaving them livid. The two blamed each other for the crash and exchanged heated verbal spats.
However, the anguish subsided, and the two brushed it off. Now, the top two drivers are yet again in a similar situation after the Austin GP. Verstappen and Norris had a tense showdown in the final moments of the race, with both racers battling fiercely to secure the P3 spot. Although Norris somehow managed to gain the upper hand over the RBR triple champion, the FIA slapped him with a five-second penalty. The decision is being criticized as both drivers involved reacted to the incident.
Lando Norris Sarcatsically Praises Max Verstappen’s Tactics After An Intense Face-Off
Lando Norris and Max Verstappenpen are teh front runners for the world title. While Max Verstappen has extended his lead to 57 points after the Austin GP, Norris refuses to give up. In such intense battles, every point matters. Especially when the two are vying for the same position in a race. The Circuit Of The Americas witnessed a fierce fight between the top drivers of 2024 in the latter half of the race. On lap 52 of 56, the Dutchman and the Briton were side by side. In an attempt to outplay each other, the duo went off the track.
While Verstappen went off track as a defense tactic, Norris joined him to make a move. This dive bomb allowed Norris to regain P3, but his celebration was cut short by a five-second penalty by the FIA. The McLaren racer had to settle for the fourth spot, allowing Verstappen to extend his WDC lead. Norris expressed his disappointment with the decision, lamenting that Verstappen also went off track while defending. He further stated that Verstappen’s tactic of going off the track gave him an unfair advantage. However, he acknowledged that he didn’t make the rules and credited his Dutch rival for defending well.
On the other hand, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella bashed the FIA for ‘inappropriately interfering’ with the Norris-Verstappen title fight. Stella shared a similar view, stating that both cars went off track, gaining an advantage. He also explained Verstappen went in a straight line, and so did Norris, giving the latter no chance to complete his maneuver.
Max Verstappen Remains Coy On The Controversial Decision
Amid all the criticism, Verstappen responded interestingly when questioned about his face-off with Norris. The Dutchman said, “I have my opinion, but I don’t want to say it here.” Thus, the RBR triple champion was in no mood to discuss the intense battle, as he left the decision to race stewards.