Norris snubs Verstappen in AWKWARD fallout admission

Lando Norris has snubbed Max Verstappen as the personal consequences from their Austrian Grand Prix collision begin to take hold.

The pair, who have been friends away from the track for several years, collided late on in Spielberg last weekend whilst battling for the lead.

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Norris had been complaining about Verstappen's defensive driving tactics for a number of laps, whilst the Dutchman blasted Norris' ambitious dives down the inside.

By that point, it appeared something would have to give, and on lap 64 both drivers suffered punctures as Norris attempted a move around the outside of the Red Bull driver at turn three. Verstappen was penalised for the collision by the stewards.

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Norris and Verstappen have regularly shared a private jet to and from races, and partied together after the Brit's maiden win in Miami.

However, as might have been predictable, their relationship has been put under additional strain as they fight against each other for the top spot more often.

The blame game over team radio and after the race in Austria indicated all was not well, and Norris said he would lose a lot of respect for Verstappen if he believed he had done nothing wrong.

Appearing on the Heart breakfast show ahead of the British Grand Prix, Norris was asked to pick a driver to celebrate with if McLaren achieved a one-two finish at Silverstone this weekend.

"I mean I probably would have said Max but erm…” Norris replied, trailing off to a chorus of grimaces from team-mate Oscar Piastri and radio hosts Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden.

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“if you could choose one other driver to go out and celebrate with, who would it be?”

“i would have said max but…”

not him taking the beef to live radio?! 😭pic.twitter.com/XCJ6ZnWJPC

— saff (@lovepiastri) July 3, 2024

“Is that because he’s so bitter because he’s come third?” Theakston questioned to awkward laughter.

“Oh who would I, who would I erm who would I go… Daniel Ricciardo,” Norris eventually decided, with Piastri in agreement.

When asked the same question, Piastri chose Charles Leclerc on the condition from Theakston that it had to be a Ferrari driver.

It is not clear how serious Norris was in his dismissal of Verstappen, but Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports that the pair have spoken since the collision and that there is no issue.

READ MORE: Horner delivers X-rated Silverstone jibe after Verstappen-Norris tension

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