Max Verstappen says he’ll buy Lando Norris a “big mirror or some glasses” after the McLaren driver insisted he gave the Red Bull driver space on the opening lap of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Lining up on the front row of the Barcelona grid with Norris ahead, Verstappen tried to slide up the inside of Norris only for the Briton to squeeze him onto the grass.
Lando Norris insists he gave Max Verstappen ‘enough space’
But while the front-row starters squabbled over the lead, George Russell swooped around the outside of them both to go from third to first.
Verstappen was soon back in front of Russell, as too was Norris, the good friends fighting for the victory which Verstappen claimed by 2.2s. Lewis Hamilton joined them on the podium in third place as he clinched his first Grand Prix top three result of the season.
Verstappen was asked about Norris’ antics after the race, explaining: “I had to do a bit of rallying on the straight. I had to go into the grass a bit, which lost me a bit of momentum. So then, of course, we were quite late into Turn 1.”
But asked for his opinion, the McLaren driver insisted he gave the Dutchman “enough” room.
“It’s always difficult to judge in that situation. I can’t get a tape measure out and measure it perfectly. I’m not going to make his life easy. There was enough space, I think,” he said.
As Verstappen and Hamilton chuckled at Norris’ answer, he added: “What? I’m just going to stop talking. I think it was just racing. I gave him enough space. I don’t think at any point there wasn’t enough space for him to stay on the track. What? Do you want to answer it?”
Verstappen: “No, no, no.”
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Max Verstappen’s ideal present for Lando Norris
However, pressed on whether he felt Norris had squeezed him or given him enough room, the reigning World Champion joked that Sunday’s start gave him the perfect idea of a present for his good friend.
“I think I know his birthday present already. It’s either like a big mirror or some glasses, and it will be fine!” he said.
“It’s OK. No, listen, I mean, it’s hard racing for sure. If you turn it around, would I have done the same? I probably would have done the same. You always try to squeeze it to the limit.
“I also really wanted to avoid potential contact, because you don’t want to rub wheels and potentially damage your suspension. So you naturally leave probably a few centimetres extra.
“That meant those few extra centimetres meant that I had to go a little bit on the grass. And also, luckily, with doing that, nothing happened. So it’s all good. I mean, we still had a good run to Turn 1.”
Sunday’s result meant Verstappen extended his tally at the top of the Drivers’ Championship to 219 points, 69 ahead of Norris who is up to second place, while Charles Leclerc is a further two points adrift.
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