Norris: Verstappen’s defending were “stupid” and “reckless” in Austria GP clash
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
George Russell clinches victory amid Verstappen and Norris collision drama.
SPIELBERG, Austria -- In a race brimming with intense action and nail-biting moments, George Russell emerged victorious at the Austrian Grand Prix, capitalizing on a late-race collision between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
With just seven laps to go, Lando Norris made his third daring attempt to overtake Max Verstappen at Turn Three. The effort culminated in a dramatic clash that saw Verstappen's Red Bull squeezing Norris towards the outer edge of the track, resulting in punctures for both competitors. The incident allowed Russell to snatch victory, while championship leader Verstappen managed to recover to fifth place and Norris was forced to retire due to extensive damage to his vehicle.
Stewards deemed Verstappen "predominantly" responsible for the collision and penalized him with a 10-second in-race penalty.
Lando Norris' take
Lando Norris did not mince words when describing Verstappen's defensive tactics. "I expect a tough battle against Max," Norris stated post-race. "I know what to expect, I expect aggression and pushing the limits and that kind of thing, but all three times he's doing stuff that can easily cause an incident, and in that way, it's just a bit reckless."
"It seemed like a little bit desperate from his side, it doesn't need to be. He's got plenty of wins, but a bit desperate to do what he could to not let me past," he added.
Norris' frustration extended beyond the race, hinting that the incident might strain his off-track friendship with Verstappen. "If he says he did nothing wrong, then I will lose a lot of respect for that. If he admits to being a bit stupid and running into me and just being a bit reckless in a way, then I have a small amount of respect for it," Norris said.
Max Verstappen's perspective
Max Verstappen offered his own interpretation of the incident, countering Norris' narrative by pointing to the latter's aggressive attempts to pass at Turn Three. "Of course, I see behind he was dive bombing me before so I moved a bit to the right and of course he decides to go the kerb on the left, and then we touch with the rear tyres," Verstappen explained.
"It's something I didn't expect to happen as well, for me just an unfortunate situation that it happened," Verstappen continued, lamenting the penalty as "a bit severe."
When questioned about the impact on his relationship with Norris, Verstappen struck a diplomatic tone. "It shouldn't, we're all racing drivers, of course we don't want to crash with each other," he said. "But when you're fighting for the lead and it’s getting close, it happened today, which is of course a shame. I'm annoyed, he's annoyed, I think that's it. We'll speak, but it's not the right moment now."
As the dust settles on a chaotic Austrian Grand Prix, the racing community will be keenly watching the fallout from this high-stakes collision. With tempers high and championship points on the line, both Norris and Verstappen will need to reconcile their differences as the season continues. For now, George Russell's unexpected victory stands out as a testament to the unpredictable and thrilling nature of Formula 1 racing.
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