Lando Norris and Max Verstappen had a fierce battle during the Austrian GP, resulting in a collision between the two drivers. The incident sparked controversy, with Verstappen’s team principal accusing him of unsportsmanlike behavior and replaying the 2021 season. However, Norris defended Verstappen against unfair criticism from the Italian.
Verstappen entered the 2024 season aiming for his fourth consecutive driver’s championship. However, his lead began to diminish, making him vulnerable to other teams. Meanwhile, Norris emerged as a strong contender in the title fight, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown in Austria.
Unfortunately, the battle between Verstappen and Norris ended in a collision. This drew comparisons to Verstappen’s controversial actions in the 2021 season, where he was accused of pushing his rivals off the track. Stella, a member of Verstappen’s team, highlighted these similarities.
Christian Horner, Verstappen’s team principal, disagreed with Stella’s stance and argued that Verstappen had already faced consequences for his actions in 2021. He criticized Stella’s comments as unfair and unwarranted.
While Horner defended Verstappen, he also took the opportunity to address Norris. He suggested that Norris needed to learn how to compete against the reigning champion, emphasizing Verstappen’s tough racing style and refusal to change his approach.
Horner further criticized Norris by claiming that he was still recovering from a poor performance in the Austria Sprint race. He explained that Norris initially took the lead but was quickly overtaken by Verstappen, who further extended his advantage by overtaking Norris’s teammate at the same corner. Horner used this as an example of Norris’s shortcomings and his determination to surpass Verstappen in the main race.
Despite Horner’s belief that the collision was a racing incident, the Austrian GP steward determined that Verstappen was at fault. As a result, Verstappen received a 10-second penalty and two penalty points on his super-license.
