The collision between Formula 1 drivers Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix could put a strain on their long-standing friendship. Norris expressed disappointment in Verstappen when he claimed he had done nothing wrong. After the accident, the Briton stressed that he acted fairly, unlike Verstappen.
Verstappen takes the blame
The collision, for which Verstappen was blamed, occurred during an intense battle just before the end of the race. Norris was forced to retire while Verstappen was able to finish the race in fifth place. The Dutchman now has a clear lead of 81 points over Norris in the overall standings after the eleventh race of the season.
Norris emphasizes his innocence
Although Norris and Verstappen have been good friends for a long time and even live together in Monaco, the already tense incident has affected their relationship. Norris was disappointed with Verstappen and stressed that it was Verstappen, not him, who was responsible for the accident, thus ruining his own race, not just Norris's.
Criticism of Verstappen’s behaviour
Not only Norris voiced criticism, but McLaren team boss Andrea Stella was also disappointed by Verstappen's actions, which damaged the reputation of the Red Bull team. In particular, it was criticized that Verstappen reacted to Norris' movements after braking, which is prohibited under the regulations. Verstappen received a ten-second penalty for the unfair maneuver.
Source: die-nachrichten.at
