Lando Norris believes that Max Verstappen shouldn’t have been given ‘a big penalty’ after their contact at the Austrian Grand Prix last week, which denied either driver of taking the race win.
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After a slow final pit-stop allowed the McLaren driver to catch up to the world champion, the two battled for multiple laps at turn three, before a small collision left both cars with huge damage, meaning Verstappen finished fifth whilst Norris retired.
The Dutchman was handed a 10-second penalty for his role in the incident, which sparked wide debate amongst fans and experts alike.
Some called for a harsher penalty whilst others believed it was purely a racing incident.
After the Grand Prix, Norris was understandably animated, but when speaking in the driver’s pre-race press conference today, the 24-year-old seemed to approach the situation from a more level-headed viewpoint.
“It’s a very tough one because our incident was so tiny,” said Norris.
“So, for what it was, I don’t think it really should have been a big penalty at all. Or even a penalty at the end of the day.
“But considering it put me out of the race and took me out of a chance of winning ,it definitely adds a lot more to the facts.
And if he had a big enough lead and he could still go on to win the race. Then I do think it needs to be taken into account in some ways, but understanding how much and where that line is. It’s a complicated and difficult thing.”
As previously mentioned, a frustrated Norris said that if Verstappen didn’t admit fault for the collision, he would ‘lose a lot of respect’ for the Dutchman.
Again, time seems to have cooled down the McLaren starlets outlook. With Norris now seemingly less demanding of an apology from his new rival.
“Honestly, I don’t think he needed to apologise,” said Norris.
“I think, some of the things I said in the pen after the race were more just because I was frustrated at the time, a lot of adrenaline. A lot of emotions and I probably said some things I didn’t necessarily believe in. Especially later on in the week.
“It was a pretty pathetic incident in terms of what ended both our races, it wasn’t a hit. Wasn’t an obvious bit of contact. It was probably one of the smallest bits of contact you could have. But with a pretty terrible consequence for both of us. Especially for myself.
“He didn’t (apologise), he doesn’t need to, I don’t expect an apology from him, I don’t think he, he should apologise.
“I thought it was good racing, very close to the edge. But like we said we’ve spoken about it, and we’re both happy to go racing.”
After the Austrian Grand Prix, many referred back to the 2021 championship fight between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. How unpunished antics back then may have prevented the Dutchman from being taught his lesson.
Some argued that Verstappen will always race this way and compared his aggressive driving style to that of Micheal Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. Whilst others called for harsher restrictions on the world champion.
Norris also commented on the Red Bull drivers’ style in the press conference, and his ‘different’ way of going racing.
“Max has a very different way of racing compared to a lot of others and that’s some of the reasons of why he’s a champion,” said Norris.
“I reviewed it, I’m excited to go again this weekend and try to do a better job.
“It’s clear how he races, it’s tough, it’s on the limit and, I think it’s what we love,it’s what I love. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole fight I had with him. Of course, it was a shame things ended the way they did but apart from that. things are clear and I think I’m excited to go race him again this weekend.”
With the practice for the 2024 British Grand Prix starting tomorrow, and the race on Sunday. It won’t be long until we see the two drivers racing wheel-to-wheel once again.
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