Max Verstappen claims he was ‘upset and disappointed’ after colliding with Lando Norris at Austrian GP

Max Verstappen admitted that he was not happy to have collided with Lando Norris during the ending stages of the Austrian GP.

Max Verstappen claims he was ‘upset and disappointed’ after colliding with Lando Norris at Austrian GP

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris (via IMAGO)

The 2024 Austrian GP was thrilling and controversial because of the top 2 drivers colliding into each other. The crash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at lap 64 might have affected their relationship with each other because it cost them both the race. However, Verstappen said he was disappointed after the crash.

Max Verstappen explained that after the race he didn’t wanted to discuss the points of the incident immediately as everyone’s emotions were intense. He mentioned that he woke up early the next day with the intention of talking to Lando Norris about the incident. However, Norris had already texted him in the morning, which showed both drivers were eager to address the situation and wanted to clear the incident.

I already said after the race there's no point in discussing it now, emotions are running high.. I woke up already quite early, because I wanted to talk to Lando, but he already texted me in the morning.
Max Verstappen said
YouTube video

Further, Verstappen mentioned that he respected Norris a lot for reaching out early in the morning. He described the Briton as a great friend and a very nice guy. The 26-year-old admitted feeling upset and disappointed about the on-track collision between them. While competition on the track involves racing hard, the dutchman highlighted that as friends, it’s disappointing when such incidents occur. He emphasized the balance between competition and maintaining relationships in racing.

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I respected that a lot. We are really great friends, he's a very nice guy. I was upset and disappointed we got together, naturally on the track you race hard, but as a friend you're disappointed that happened.
Max Verstappen stated

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris enjoy battling hard against each other in F1

Max Verstappen claimed that he and Norris would agree that they both feel strongly about racing each other hard. Verstappen stressed this was something both of them enjoyed and have always done throughout their racing careers. Both share a mutual understanding that competitive racing is part of their passion. They both thrive on the challenge of pushing themselves to the limit on the track.

Quite quickly as we were talking, we had the same opinion: we have to race each other hard. That's what we like to do, and what we've always done.
Max Verstappen explained
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

Moreover, Verstappen explained that their competitive spirit extends beyond Formula 1 to their online racing experience. Both Verstappen and Norris truly enjoy battling fiercely against each other, whether on the real track or virtually. This shared enjoyment of intense competition has been a significant part of their relationship. The Dutchman highlighted that this competitive spirit will continue to define their interactions. This highlighted their commitment to pushing each other to their limits, both in real-life racing and virtual competitions

Not just in F1, but also when we raced online, that's what we really enjoyed about each other, battling hard, and that's what we'll continue to do.
Max Verstappen added

Certainly, Max Verstappen explained both he and Norris love racing hard against each other whether it’s real life or virtual. For now it seemed the conflict between them for the Austrian GP crash has been resolved and the friendship is maintained. However, fans are hoping for more intense battle on track at the upcoming races in Silverstone.

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