Lando Norris calls Max Verstappen’s driving ‘dangerous’ after title rivals clash
Verstappen received 20 seconds of penalties as Norris closed the gap in the title standings.
Lando Norris says he knows what to expect from “dangerous” Max Verstappen after his world championship rival was hit with 20 seconds of penalties as the pair came together at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Norris finished second – four places ahead of the Dutchman – to take 10 points out of Verstappen’s championship lead and will head to Brazil next weekend 47 points adrift with 120 points left to fight for.
A week on from Norris being demoted behind Verstappen after receiving a penalty for overtaking his rival off the track in Austin, it was the Dutchman who fell foul of the stewards as he drove the McLaren man off the track.
McLaren were unsuccessful in contesting Norris’ penalty earlier this week but it took just 10 laps for the title rivals to clash again at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Norris went round the outside of Verstappen at turn five and was forced wide before the Red Bull driver left the track at turn eight, with the Briton again having to leave the circuit.
The stewards hit Verstappen with two separate 10-second penalties for the two corner incidents, with Norris saying “this guy is dangerous” over the team radio.
“I don’t think I need to say much. It is pretty self-explanatory on what happened,” Norris said.
“I did everything I have been told in terms of what the rules are.
“I go into every race expecting a tough battle with Max. It is clear it doesn’t matter if he wins or is second, he just wants to beat me in the race.
“He sacrifices himself to do that, like he did today.
“I want to have tough battles but fair ones. It is always going to be tough with Max.
“Today was not fair, clean racing so therefore he got the penalty.”
Norris said he is a “fair racer” and believes Verstappen is not concerned with his own finishing position, as long as he gets the better of his title rival.
“Probably (he was tougher this week). Today I felt like I had to avoid collisions and that’s not what you want to have to do in a race,” Norris added.
“He is in a very powerful position in the championship. He has nothing to lose. I am just focused on myself, it is not my job to control (him) he knows how to drive.
“I think he knows that today was a bit over the limit.”
Pole-sitter Carlos Sainz cruised to victory at the high-altitude circuit as Norris produced a superb final stint to close down Charles Leclerc and claim second.
Verstappen drove back through the field after serving his penalties to finish sixth, with Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell fourth and fifth.
The three-time world champion insists he is more concerned by the lack of pace from his Red Bull car than the penalties he received.
“Yeah, 20 seconds is a lot but I am not going to cry about it and I am also not going to share my opinion,” Verstappen said.
“Turn four was more of a question mark, turn eight it is what it is.
“But that is not my problem, my problem is that we are too slow. That is why I am being put in those kind of positions.”
Verstappen continues to believe he is driving the way he needs to, despite his hefty sanction.
“I just drive how I think you have to drive. Last week that was alright, this week 20-second penalty,” he added.
“It is what it is. Life goes on. I just keep racing.”
