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Norris loses respect for Verstappen after crash in Austria

Norris speaks about losing respect for Verstappen after crash in Austria

30 June at 15:50
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  • Matt Gretton
  • Editor-in-Chief

Lando Norris suggests he will lose respect for his long-term friend Max Verstappen after the two drivers crashed in the Austrian Grand Prix. Norris says his relationship with his rival on track could change following the incident.

Lando Norris crashed with Max Verstappen after a multi-lap duel for victory in the Austrian Grand Prix. Tension started to rise on the team radio, and eventually, the two drivers crashed. Both cars picked up punctures, opening the door for victory to George Russell. The stewards deemed Verstappen at fault for the contact and handed him a ten-second time penalty.

Norris reaction

In a conversation with Sky Sports, Norris was asked if it would affect the friendship between the two drivers who often travel together. "It depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I'll lose a lot of respect for that. If he admits to being stupid, running into me, and being reckless, then I have a small amount of respect," Norris said  

"I'm disappointed. It was a good race. I looked forward to a fair battle, but I wouldn't say that's what it was. Tough one to take. A mistake-free race from myself. I did a good job, but I was taken out of the race. You're not allowed to react to another driver, and that's what he did three times out of three. Two times, I managed to avoid it. Third time, he ran into me. He ruined his own race as much as he ruined mine," Norris concluded.