Anger does not fizzle out

Norris to Verstappen: “That’s just the way things go”

Max Verstappen received a hefty penalty. "Rightly so", as Lando Norris thinks.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The Formula 1 world championship duel between world champion Max Verstappen and his challenger Lando Norris has come to a head in Mexico. There is still plenty of excitement after the race. Norris thinks the harsh penalty against the Red Bull driver is justified. Verstappen himself thinks it is "excessive", but struggles with another issue in particular. 

"I don't think I need to say much about it," Norris starts after the race in Mexico - and then gets into the subject again. "I was in front of Max in the braking zone, even at the apex. I'm the one avoiding a crash today. That's the difference," the Brit finally clarifies. 

His opponent, on the other hand, who received two hefty time penalties, is taciturn and angry. "To be honest, 20 seconds is a lot. But I'm not going to cry about it, although I'm not going to share my opinion either." 

Verstappen has "another problem"
However, the Dutchman finally lets something slip: "I had the feeling that turn four was a bit more of a question mark. Turn seven is what it is." But it is not so much the penalties that are causing the world champion's mood to plummet. "The problem is that we're too slow, and that's why I end up in positions like this in the first place. That's my problem!"

"I don't see it as a victory or anything like that, it's more that I hope Max recognizes that he overdid it," Norris, on the other hand, hopes his rival will see reason. Is that likely to happen? "Next year it will be 20-second penalties. But it makes no difference. I have no opinion," grumbles the Dutchman, dashing Norris' hopes of "understanding", at least for the time being. 

Hot season finale awaits
The Briton also had the impression that Verstappen had dealt with him more harshly after the events in Austin. "It's clear that it doesn't matter whether he wins or finishes second, his only job is to beat me in the race. He will sacrifice himself for that, as he did today," says Norris, who wants to concentrate on his own performance. 

The Briton has one more wish ahead of the hot season finale: "I want to have good duels with him, tough battles like I've seen with him many times before - but fair ones. It will always be on the limit, it will always be tough with Max. I will race fairly. If he doesn't do that, then things will go the way they did today. But I think he wants to race fairly, I hope so. I think he also enjoys these moments when it's a fair fight."