F1 champion Max Verstappen adamant he 'knows best' despite Lando Norris friendship WARNING

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Austria, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Verstappen adamant he 'knows best' despite Norris friendship WARNING

The pair tangled towards the end of the Austrian Grand Prix

Rhys Thomas

Sunday 30 June 2024 20:57

Max Verstappen has deflected the blame for the incident which saw both the Red Bull driver and Lando Norris suffer punctures and surrender their race-leading positions late on in Austria.

The Dutchman was given a 10-second time penalty by the stewards after the pair collided on lap 64. Verstappen limped back to the pits and rescued a P5 finish, but Norris retired upon entering the box.

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Verstappen and Norris had been scrapping for the lead for a number of laps and there was more than one close call before what seemed inevitable happened.

The McLaren driver had been on the radio bemoaning Verstappen's defensive tactics before the crash, but the Red Bull champion does not believe he is the guilty party.

Norris even suggested after the race that his respect for his great friend Verstappen may have been damaged, but Verstappen has answered back with a defiant response.

Max Verstappen suffered a puncture on lap 64 in Austria

The stewards gave Max Verstappen a 10-second time penalty

Verstappen shifts blame for Austria crash

Verstappen was officially penalised for 'causing a collision' at turn three, and received two penalty points as well as the time penalty.

After the race, though, he indicated that he was not in agreement with that verdict.

"Of course from the outside it's hard to see when I brake. I know in the past it was a bit of a complaint," he told Sky Sports.

"Now I always move my wheel before I brake then you brake in a straight line trajectory. It's always easy to say on the outside that I'm moving under the braking.

"But I think the guy in the car knows best what he's doing," he asserted, referring to pundits who had criticised his driving.

What started as a great weekend, had an unfortunate ending. We’ll analyse, learn from it, and go again next week. Thank you all for the amazing support around the track 🟠🙏

#AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/daMZs3SwKi
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) June 30, 2024

“Everyone can have their own opinion but I’m the one driving, so I think I’m best in control, let’s say it like that," Verstappen added.

Asked about the battles which preceded the incident, Verstappen was not overly impressed with Norris' driving.

"I felt like sometimes he’s divebombed," the 26-year-old explained.

"He’s so late on the brakes that one time he went straight and one time I had to go round the sausage [curb] or whatever you call it and we would have touched as well.

“I think it’s also just the shape of the corner which I say provides these kinds of issues sometimes. It is what it is, it’s just never nice to come together.

“I need to look back at how and why we touched and of course we’ll talk about it. It’s just unfortunate that it happened."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes McLaren FIA Lando Norris