Lando Norris now says Max Verstappen does not need to apologise to him over Austrian GP collision

SILVERSTONE – McLaren’s Lando Norris tempered his recent criticism of three-time defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen following their “pathetic” Austrian Grand Prix collision, saying the Red Bull driver does not owe him an apology.

Norris and Verstappen collided while battling for the lead in Austria,

handing victory to a delighted George Russell

of Mercedes.

While the Dutchman extended his lead over Norris to 81 points, his driving and temperament have been called into question ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said Verstappen had been allowed to get away with too much in the past, while Norris had previously made clear he wanted an apology from the champion as their friendship buckled.

However, on July 4, the Briton said at Silverstone that he has since spoken twice to Verstappen, adding: “I don’t think he needed to apologise.”

He said: “Some of the things I said in the pen after the race were more just because I was frustrated at the time... a lot of adrenaline, a lot of emotions and I probably said some things I didn’t necessarily believe in...

“It was tough. It was a pretty pathetic incident in terms of what ended both our races. It wasn’t like a hit, it wasn’t like an obvious bit of contact.

“It was probably one of the smallest bits of contact you could have, but with a pretty terrible consequence for both of us.”

While Norris has mellowed his stance on the championship leader, he put pressure on the governing FIA, asking them for clarity on moving under braking – which is what he said on team radio Verstappen did on several occasions before their collision.

He said: “Avoiding an incident from moving under braking is probably the biggest part of it. There could very easily be an incident that comes from such a thing and I think the only thing we have to be very careful of is something that could happen.

“So that’s just something for the future and something that the stewards and FIA need to be aware of, that something could easily go wrong.

“To a certain point, you’re defending, you’re being aggressive and that’s OK. But there will be a point when there is a limit and I think that just needs to be defined in a slightly better way.”

The prospect of more wheel-to-wheel racing and potential contact at the high-speed Silverstone circuit, in front of a partisan home crowd, inevitably prompts memories of a similar scenario in 2021.

Then, an unforgiving and relentless Verstappen ended up in hospital after an opening-lap crash at the fearsomely fast Copse corner with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

The times have changed, but the scenario is worryingly similar – two driven racers refusing to concede ground, albeit Verstappen was adjudged to be guilty of causing the emotion-charged clash at Spielberg last week.

Hamilton would not be drawn into commenting about the incident in Austria, but Russell said: “Max is one of the best, is a hard racer and will push the rules to the limit, as all of the top drivers do.

“We all know what the rules are, what the rules are around moving under braking. He probably pushed that slightly behind the limit.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, meanwhile, called his McLaren counterpart Stella’s comments about his star driver “unfair”.

He said: “It’s wrong and unfair to label a driver like that and I’m sure in the heat of the moment it was frustrating for Andrea, but that’s just tough racing.

“He worked with Michael Schumacher (at Ferrari) for so many years – he of all people should know that.”

Meanwhile, Oliver Bearman will be Britain’s fourth F1 driver on the starting grid next season after the teenager signed a multi-year deal with Haas in what he said was a dream come true.

The deal for the 19-year-old was announced on July 4 ahead of Silverstone, with Bearman describing it as a “pinch yourself moment”. AFP, REUTERS