It was coming, a gathering inevitability about it. Max Verstappen’s sharp elbows out, Lando Norris determined to make the pass. Bang. Their races over. A friendship in the freezer.
And when it was over the two men circled each other in the press pen, as far apart as they had been close vying for the lead at Turn 3, lap 64, of the Austrian Grand Prix, a mess that handed George Russell a fortunate victory.
Verstappen couldn’t hear Norris saying it to the media but the message was this: he wants an apology from a ‘stupid… reckless… desperate’ Max.
That’s what it meant to be best mates last night, or at least closest chums in the paddock. Such a close relationship can never survive the Venus heat at the sharp end of Formula One.
Asked about the smash’s bearing on future warmth, Norris said: ‘I don’t know. It depends on what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I’ll lose a lot of respect for him.
Lando Norris (left) and Max Verstappen (right) were involved in a war of words after their dramatic collision at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon as they battled for first place
Norris (left) and Verstappen made contact during lap 64 of a what had been a tense battle
Norris was forced to retire shortly after and hit out at Verstappen, who is a great friend of his
‘If he admits to being a bit stupid and running into me and just being a bit reckless, then I’ll have a small amount of respect for that.
‘I expect a tough battle against Max. I expect aggression and pushing the limits and that kind of thing, but all three times we got close doing stuff which can easily cause an incident.
‘In a way, it’s a bit reckless, a little bit desperate from his side. It doesn’t need to be. I respect what he does but sometimes he goes too far.’
Often the two of them take a private jet from races together, though we’re pleased to report that was not the case on leaving here. They game together. The laugh together. But until recently, Verstappen has been so far up the road that they have not diced together.
Nor were they yesterday until lap 51 transformed a race Verstappen was suffocating. He came in for his second change of tyres with a seven-second lead. Norris followed him in.
Unusually for Red Bull, the stop was less than clockwork. The left rear nut was sticky and the wheel gun had to be reapplied. This took 6.5seconds. Norris was reshod and going again in a brisk 2.1sec. Suddenly, Norris’s deficit to the leader was down to three seconds. Game on.
Then, Verstappen locked up. The gap narrowed further. Norris sensed his chance, moving to within DRS range of his prey.
Norris slammed Verstappen and said it could impact their friendship unless he apologises
But the Dutchman defended his position and labelled his 10-second penalty ‘ridiculous’
On lap 55, Norris launched his first bid for the lead. Verstappen flexed his muscles on the apex of Turn 3 to remain in front. Perhaps Norris might instead have set himself up for a move at Turn 4, given that this lap presented perhaps his best chance to strike.
‘He reacted to my move and you are not allowed to do that,’ complained Norris.
The duel went on. Lap 58, Norris slung his McLaren down the inside, again at Turn 3, but he took too much speed into the corner, and Verstappen retook the lead at the next turn with the help of DRS.
A further complaint from Norris, saying prophetically: ‘He cannot keep moving after I move. It is just dangerous. We will have a big shunt.’
On to lap 63, another Norris attack, his frustration rising. Verstappen ran off the asphalt as he defended, yet he rejoined with his lead intact. ‘He has to give the position back,’ yelled Norris. ‘I was ahead on the apex.’
Verstappen was not taking this lying down, just as he didn’t in his epic scraps with Lewis Hamilton in 2021. ‘He forced me off again,’ exclaimed the Dutchman. ‘He divebombed me. That is not how you overtake.’
And to the collision. Norris went down the outside. Their rubber thudded. Max’s left rear was punctured; Norris’s right rear was also finished. Both limped back to the pits, canvases flapping.
Norris retired while Verstappen went back out, finishing fifth despite a 10-second penalty for steering left at the crucial point. It was the correct determination.
Norris, himself handed a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, said of the incident: ‘It’s still a tough one to take when we’re fighting for the win and I’m trying to be fair and he just wasn’t.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner also claimed that Norris was the driver in the wrong
Amid all the drama, McLaren’s George Russell swooped in to win his second ever race
‘There are rules, and he was doing things you’re not allowed to do and not getting penalised.’
Asked if he would clear the air with Max, Norris said pointedly: ‘It’s not for me to say. It’s for him to say.’
Over to Verstappen, who extended his championship lead to 81 points. He believed they can patch things up, but repeated his divebombing claim, adding: ‘He just hoped I’d get out of the way.’
All good drama to sell tickets for Silverstone next week. Who’s up for a battle of Britain on the old airfield?