Plainly cooler heads have prevailed within the wake of the collision between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen on the Austrian Grand Prix.
The collision ended any probability at both driver capturing the victory at Purple Bull Ring, and with feelings operating excessive within the media pen after the race, there have been considerations that the incident might drive a wedge between the pleasant rivals. However now each drivers have had their say on the British Grand Prix, and it really seems that Norris and Verstappen have turned the web page.
Norris gave his views throughout the FIA Press Convention on Thursday, and talking with Sky Sports activities F1 Verstappen shared his ideas, main with how shortly he reached out to Norris and the way “upset” he was by all the incident.
“That’s why I already mentioned after the race, there’s no level to debate it now. Feelings are operating excessive and stuff like that,” started the Purple Bull driver.
“I awakened already fairly early as a result of I wished to speak to Lando however he already texted me, within the morning on Monday. I believe the day after your feelings are a bit decrease. I revered that so much. And we’re nice mates. He’s a really good man, actually. And naturally I used to be additionally actually upset and upset that we obtained collectively as a result of naturally, after all on the monitor you race one another laborious, however as a pal as properly, you’re very upset that occurred.
“However I believe additionally fairly shortly, after we have been speaking, we had the identical opinion of we’ve to race one another laborious as a result of that’s what we love to do and that’s what we’ve at all times completed. Not solely in F1, even after we used to race collectively on-line and stuff like that, that’s what we actually loved about one another – battling laborious, and that’s what we’ll proceed to do.”
As Norris famous throughout the FIA Press Convention, Verstappen loved the battle, regardless of the climactic conclusion that knocked each drivers out of rivalry at Purple Bull Ring. Verstappen even famous how the 2 have battled each on-track, and within the digital racing world.
“For me the one factor I cared about is sustaining my relationship with Lando as a result of we’re nice mates. After the race I mentioned we’ve to simply issues settle down as a result of feelings run excessive. We instantly spoke on Monday and I believe we got here to the conclusion that we truly actually loved our battle,” mentioned Verstappen.
“We each seemed on the incident and it was such a foolish little contact that had nice penalties for each of us, and naturally just a little bit extra for Lando with how the puncture then developed,” continued the Purple Bull driver. ”We wish to race laborious. We’ve completed this for a few years, not solely in Components 1 even on-line racing the place we had a variety of enjoyable collectively. These items have to hold on as a result of that’s what we love to do and that’s what we love to do as properly.”
Verstappen indicated that he advised Norris that the McLaren driver can “belief” Verstappen to not intention to “crash him out” the following time they tangle on the monitor.
“We agreed with 99 per cent of all the things, which I believe is rather a lot already. Naturally, I at all times mentioned to Lando ‘while you go for strikes on the surface or inside, you may belief me that I’m not there to crash you out of the way in which’. Identical the opposite approach round, as a result of we spoke about that as properly,” mentioned Verstappen.
“Naturally, there’s at all times a human response when somebody dives on the within or exterior that you’ve got a response to it. However I felt all the things I did was nothing massively excessive. Like the way you design a automobile, you attempt to go to the sting of the principles, perhaps discover some gray areas right here and there. That’s the identical with the way you race, in any other case you’ll by no means be a prime driver or achieve life.”
When Verstappen was requested concerning the response he would possibly obtain at Silverstone — a house race for the McLaren driver that’s prone to have a really pro-Norris crowd — Verstappen conceded that one factor issues above all, and it’s not the reception he’ll obtain this week.
“The one factor that I care about in my life is that I’m getting on properly with Lando,” mentioned Verstappen.
Whereas the hypothesis coming into the week centered on the incident, and the way the 2 events would transfer ahead, it appears Norris and Verstappen have put this problem to mattress.
Now all of us wait to see their subsequent battle on the monitor.
