British GP

Tension ahead of Norris and Verstappen’s reunion

The collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix ...

(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU, twitter.com)

The collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix is still fresh in the minds of everyone involved. It remains to be seen what will happen after the incident, but it will certainly be the dominant topic ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend. According to Verstappen, there will be a discussion. The Red Bull driver has so far refused to accept any blame for the Spielberg fiasco.

For Red Bull Racing, the conclusion of an exhausting Grand Prix triple-header is the second home race within a week, as the Austrian-licensed racing team is based in Milton Keynes, which is a half-hour drive from the Silverstone Circuit. In Austria, Verstappen missed out on a seemingly certain victory in the closing stages after a series of problems - such as a botched pit stop due to a stuck wheel nut.

Verstappen finished in the points despite a ten-second penalty
However, the collision with Norris' onrushing McLaren on the 64th lap was decisive for the drop back to fifth place. The two had previously engaged in a wheel-to-wheel duel over several laps. When Norris attempted to pass Verstappen on the outside in turn 3, the Dutchman pushed his challenger off the track during the braking process in the view of the judges. There was contact, both cars suffered tire damage, but only Norris retired. Verstappen finished in the points despite a ten-second penalty and extended his championship lead to 81 points.

Verstappen: "There were a few mistakes in the race!"
Norris was bitterly disappointed after his retirement and announced that he would question his friendship with Verstappen. He was waiting for an explanation from the 26-year-old, who has long been known as an aggressive driver. In his team's preview, Verstappen said: "There were some mistakes in the race that really cost us, but we also have to look at the good moments we had during the weekend, including winning the sprint and taking pole position twice."

"The world population knows who is responsible!"
Those responsible at Red Bull argue that the incident should be treated as a normal race incident. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella was of the opposite opinion: "The entire world population knows who is responsible - except for one group of people," he explained, referring to Verstappen.

Cars of Verstappen and Perez on the road with special livery
Red Bull is coming to Silverstone with an upgrade and hopes to make full use of its strength on the high-speed circuit. The two cars of Verstappen and Sergio Perez will be on the road with a special livery designed by a fan. The reason for this is Red Bull's 20th anniversary in Formula 1.

Most recently in Spielberg, the racing team faced competition from McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. The winner was Mercedes driver George Russell. "There is a great energy and momentum within the team, and last weekend's result contributes to that," said Team Principal Toto Wolff. Norris was cautiously optimistic. "We know we have a fast car that can fight for wins on any type of circuit, which makes us excited for the rest of the season," he emphasized.