Max Verstappen F1 ally SLAMS immature Lando Norris

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen — Photo: © IMAGO

Latest F1 News

Max Verstappen ally SLAMS immature Lando Norris

Lando Norris' approach has been criticised

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 22 July 2025 09:57

Lando Norris’ attitude has been criticised in contrast with Max Verstappen’s, in an interview with Dutch racing driver Arie Luyendyk.

Luyendyk – nicknamed the ‘The Flying Dutchman’ – is best known for his career across the pond in IndyCar where he won the Indianapolis 500 twice in 1990 and 1997.

Speaking to Paul Tracy for The RACER, Luyendyk discussed his countryman and four-time F1 world champion Verstappen, whilst also criticising championship challenger and British driver Norris.

Article continues under video

"I was watching the Brazilian race on Netflix, and there's the radio communication,” he explained.

“And then you hear Lando [Norris] on the radio, and then you hear Max, and it's like you're listening to a 12-year-old Lando and you're listening to a 30-year-old veteran Max.”

For clarity, Verstappen is a 27-year-old, and Luyendyk went on to deliver further inaccurate team radio quotes from Norris to labour his point.

"So calm, so calculated,” he continued.

“Like, 'Yeah, I can last another five minutes in this weather,' you know, and Lando was saying, 'Oh, we're all going to die,' or something like that."

Verstappen backed by IndyCar star

Verstappen and Norris are in competition for the 2025 title

Luyendyk continued to deliver a complimentary character assessment of Verstappen, who he described as a ‘nice guy’ any time they have met one another.

"He [Verstappen] can do so much at the same time. He's a multitask kind of guy,” Luyendyk continued.

“And I think it stems from all the racing he did as a kid in go-karting. But then the sim racing, that helps him a lot too in that - like he was following Lando somewhere, and he said he didn't slow down enough when there was a yellow out, and Lando got a penalty for that.

"He just sees it - the whole picture - he's got it in one nanosecond."

The 71-year-old further discussed Verstappen’s interest in other racing categories and expressed his hope for the champion to race across the pond, where he said: “I would love to see him in an IndyCar."

F1 HEADLINES: McLaren chief wants FIA meeting as Max Verstappen on brink of Red Bull resurgence

Max Verstappen Lando Norris IndyCar