Lando Norris dismisses fears of Verstappen, highlighting the Dutchman’s intimidating pace while denying he’s a threatening driver on track.
Lando Norris doesn’t believe other drivers are afraid of Max Verstappen when battling him on track. However, the McLaren F1 driver thinks the four-time world champion’s performance level can be intimidating.
“I don’t think people are afraid of Max,” said Norris. “Are people afraid of what he’s probably capable of sometimes, in terms of speed? Do you approach some sessions thinking, ‘Damn, Max is on it this weekend, he’s been good in practice, he’s going to be massive’? 100%.”
“It’s the same in football teams or any other sport. When people are in good form and delivering strong performances, you get a bit worried about what someone is capable of in terms of performance. No one is scared. It just pushes you to the limit.”
The Brit regrets being in the position of default underdog this year, due to Verstappen having nothing to lose: “Sometimes people can’t take the risk of fighting Max the way they need to. It’s the same for me this year.”
“He had nothing to lose this season. I’ve always been in the position of the one with something to lose. If no one scores points, Max wins. That’s about it. I’ve always been in that vulnerable position. I hope next year we’ll start better and things will change from there.”
However, Norris doesn’t believe Verstappen would ever intentionally push a driver into the wall: “No. We’re passionate about what we do and put our whole heart into it, just like many members of our teams.”
“Sometimes you’ll feel disappointed, sometimes betrayed, and you’ll feel like people are going to crush you. But it’s nothing more than that—it’s just two drivers wanting to win. That’s the moral of the story.”
Seemingly unimpressed by the current verbal spats in the paddock, Norris is also convinced that Toto Wolff and Christian Horner exaggerate when they trade barbs from a distance: “It’s for Netflix. Obviously, all the team managers love Netflix.”
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Norris: Max’s Speed Intimidates, Not His Driving Style Norris: Max’s Speed Intimidates, Not His Driving Style
