The two individuals have a friendly relationship off the race track, but become fierce competitors during Formula 1 race weekends. This rivalry reached its boiling point at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, resulting in a collision between them as they fought for the lead position.
The stewards, after reviewing the incident, determined that three-time Formula 1 world champion Verstappen was primarily responsible for the collision. As a result, he received a 10-second penalty, although it had no impact on his final result. Additionally, Verstappen received two penalty points.
Verstappen, who dropped from first to fifth place as a consequence of the collision, expressed his dissatisfaction with the penalty, considering it ridiculous. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner supported Verstappen’s viewpoint, stating: “He (Norris) didn’t behave correctly there, Max. Very unlucky, especially here, but you did your best,” via team radio.
Norris, who retired from the race due to a puncture and car damage, expressed his disappointment and accused Verstappen of driving recklessly and desperately. When asked if their relationship would be affected, Norris stated: “It depends on what he says. If he claims he did nothing wrong, then I will lose a lot of respect for him,” during an interview with Sky Sports television.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella suggested that Verstappen’s actions, particularly his move during braking, were a consequence of insufficient enforcement of the sport’s rules in the past. The Italian emphasized the importance of addressing such issues honestly to prevent their recurrence.
Stella still stated: “We have immense respect for Red Bull, immense respect for Max. They don’t need to engage in such behavior. It’s a way to potentially harm their reputation. Why would you do that?” He also emphasized the need for effective enforcement of regulations, ensuring that penalties are proportional to the outcome when a car is forced to retire from the race due to an accident.
(Report by Alan Baldwin)
