Max Verstappen couldn’t “give a s***” about criticisms he confronted after Formulation 1’s Austrian Grand Prix, saying his solely care is his friendship with Lando Norris.
The Crimson Bull driver and his McLaren rival got here to blows on the Crimson Bull Ring final week after a frantic battle between the pair for the lead ended with them clashing on lap 64. The incident at Flip 3 ended up with each drivers getting a puncture, and though Verstappen was in a position to proceed after a pitstop and end fifth regardless of a 10-second penalty, Norris was pressured out with harm.
The way of Verstappen’s aggressive defence put him within the firing line of many, with McLaren boss Andrea Stella particularly suggesting that the Dutchman had only acted in that way because he had not been punished for similar incidents in 2021.
While the crash has triggered plenty of debate, Verstappen stated he was resistant to any slating he has confronted.
As a substitute, he stated it was vital to talk to Norris to run via the occasions as a result of for him the precedence was that the incident didn’t have an effect on their friendship.
Requested in regards to the criticism over latest days, Verstappen stated: “I do not give a shit about that. I’m going residence, I dwell my life. And the one factor that I care about is simply my relationship to Lando.”
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle for the lead
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Verstappen stated the pair spoke on Monday and, after working via all that occurred, they agreed that they need to proceed racing in a equally strong method sooner or later.
“I believe we got here to the conclusion that we really actually loved our battle,” he stated. “We regarded on the incident, and it was such a foolish little contact that had, after all, nice consequence for each of us.
“However we wish to race arduous. We have accomplished this for a few years, not solely in Formulation 1, even like on-line racing, the place we had quite a lot of enjoyable collectively. These items have to hold on, as a result of that is what we love to do. And I believe it is nice for Formulation 1 as nicely.”
With Norris having softened his criticisms of Verstappen forward of the British GP, the Dutchman recommended that the pair of them noticed eye-to-eye about nearly each facet of their combat.
“We agree with 99% of all the pieces,” he stated. “And naturally, I at all times stated to Lando, while you go for strikes on the inside, the surface, you’ll be able to belief me that I am not there to try to crash you out of the best way. It’s the identical the opposite method round, as a result of we spoke about that as nicely.
“Naturally, there’s at all times a human response when somebody dives on the within or outdoors, that you’ve got a little bit of a response to it. However I felt all the pieces that I did was nothing massively excessive.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing, 1st place, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Workforce, third place, speak after the Dash
Picture by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
“After all, like the way you design the automobile, you attempt to go to the sting of the foundations. Perhaps you discover some gray areas right here and there like with the automobile, and that is the identical the way you race – as a result of in any other case you’ll by no means be a prime driver and you’ll by no means reach life anyway.”
Whereas Verstappen was heard on the radio complaining about Norris divebombing him, he says that was extra about making an attempt to get the FIA to intervene to assist his personal trigger.
“You at all times converse to your personal benefit,” he smiled. “That is what he did. That is what I did. All of us perceive that.”
Requested how the pair would strategy racing one another sooner or later, Verstappen stated: “We go at it flat out. That is what we agreed to. As a result of that is what we love to do. That is what’s good for Formulation 1 as nicely.”