Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has been surrounded by criticism due to the grip he holds over Formula 1. His undying dominance has resulted in numerous talks around the paddock while many, including the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, believe it to be unfair.
While his argument was shunned by the FIA president, the negative outlook on the matter remains constant. When Mercedes was busy calling out Verstappen and his team, McLaren driver Lando Norris came in their support.
According to the British driver, “It’s not down to the team to just make a car design for a person. Maybe that’s a perfect world. It’s our job to deliver no matter what the car is”. Max said something very similar the other day after Toto made the comment about the Red Bull.
“I don’t think you can just design a car for someone.” As suggested by RacingNews365, Norris believes that fitting a car to someone’s liking just “doesn’t work like that.”
🚨 Max Verstappen got a 10 in the Aramco Power Rankings!
1) Max Verstappen – 10
2) Norris – 9.4
3) Piastri – 8.4
4) Leclerc – 8.0
5) Hamilton, Lawson – 7.6
7) Ocon, Gasly – 7.4
9) Sainz – 7.2
10) Tsunoda – 7.0#F1 pic.twitter.com/gm88BULu6t— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) September 27, 2023
This comment came in response to Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff’s remark which suggested Red Bull’s alleged preference for the Dutch driver over Sergio Perez, his teammate.
Perez had an exceptionally difficult season this year as he struggled to qualify and also had to bear some of the cruelest prejudices by people in authority and even confessed to struggling mentally and emotionally.
Are Lando Norris and Max Verstappen friends?
It is quite surprising that the two drivers from rival teams, Max and Lando are in fact, good friends. A few months ago the McLaren driver even attended the birthday of Penelope Kvyat, the daughter of Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet with ex AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries. When the speculations of Lando Norris getting selected as a possible candidate to drive for Red Bull in the future, Max Verstappen shared his opinion on this.
📌 Max Verstappen, Kelly Piquet, Daniil Kvyat, Lando Norris ve Nyck de Vries, Penelope Kvyat’ın doğum günü için bir araya geldi.#F1 #Formula1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/QWdOk7BL4e
— Thrace F1 (@F1Thrace) July 27, 2023
He said, “We talk about it. But he’s contracted to McLaren for a long time. We’ll see what happens in the future.” Although the Dutchman’s comments did not reveal any secret plans of the Austrian outfit, he did confirm that Norris is his “best friend“.
Regardless, the latter has come out in his support numerous times in the past after confessing that he had a good laugh as he watched Verstappen struggle during the Singapore Grand Prix.
Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri have been in form lately as they bagged a double podium at the Japanese Grand Prix and are in close competition with competitors like Aston Martin and Mercedes to secure the P2 spot in Constructors Standings. Despite standing on the podium numerous times this season, Norris has yet to win a race.
