Lando Norris experienced a disastrous afternoon in Austria. After a few unremarkable opening laps, a nerve-wracking battle between the British driver and race leader Max Verstappen stirred up some excitement. The McLaren driver repeatedly attempted to overtake his rival, but to no avail. In lap 66, disaster struck – a collision with Verstappen ended Norris’ race. The 24-year-old driver blames his ‘desperate’ competitor.
A visibly irritated Lando Norris trudged to the press box after the race, weighed down by disappointment. For a moment, it seemed as if he might outshine Max Verstappen in front of thousands of Dutch fans and declare himself the winner of the Austrian Grand Prix. In the end, he faced the gathered journalists, scoreless and with a wrecked car.
‘It looked reckless and desperate’
“I always expect a tough fight with Max (Verstappen), but there are things you can and cannot do,” says Norris. “Aggression and driving on the edge are all well and good, but he was constantly making maneuvers that could have caused an accident. It all looked a bit reckless and desperate. I don’t quite understand why, he has enough experience to know that’s not allowed. I was hoping for a fair and respectful fight, and I didn’t get that.”
When asked if things will be okay between Norris and Verstappen, who usually get along well, the Brit responded irritably. “That’s up to him, I have nothing more to say to him for now. I admire Max, but sometimes he just goes too far. It’s very disappointing – he just ruined my race and wrecked my car. I’m convinced that Silverstone will suffer from this, the most important parts of the car are written off. My overtaking attempts were just fair, but every time I tried to do something, he pushed me off the track.”
McLaren Team Boss’s Reaction
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella was at least as angry after the incident. Even after Verstappen was handed a ten-second penalty, the Italian was far from satisfied. “The whole world knows who is to blame here,” he responded. “Except for a select group of people.” He undoubtedly meant the FIA stewards.
Verstappen’s Damage
Max Verstappen also suffered damage from the incident with Norris. The Dutchman had to drive into the pits with a broken rear wheel – a set of new softs eventually earned him fifth place. The ten-second time penalty was not enough to drop him even further. Thanks to the softer rubbers, he also took the fastest lap time. George Russell was the big winner in Spielberg – he benefited from the clash and crossed the finish line first.
