Max Verstappen accuses Lando Norris of showing him a lack of ‘respect’ in Japanese GP qualifying
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Max Verstappen accuses Lando Norris of showing him a lack of ‘respect’ for an incident that could have caused the Red Bull star to be demoted from pole… while the McLaren driver who was forced off the track says that he would be fined if he did the same thing
- Max Verstappen took pole for the Japanese Grand Prix with 0.010 seconds
- However, the Red Bull star is under investigation for an incident involving Lando Norris
- Verstappen warmed up his tires and forced Norris into evasive action
- However, the Dutchman thinks Norris showed him a lack of ‘respect’
- Norris thinks Verstappen should be handy with a penalty for his actions
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Max Verstappen has accused Lando Norris of showing a lack of ‘respect’ for overtaking him in qualifying, in an incident investigating the pole-seated Dutchman and McLaren star.
Verstappen, who took pole in a thrilling Suzuka qualifying, tried to warm up his tires as he moved slowly through Turn 15.
Norris, who was on the inside of the racing line, had already built up his speed en route to a short straight before the chicane and as he whizzed past Verstappen nearly collided when he turned left.
Max Verstappen accuses Lando Norris of lack of ‘respect’ in qualifying
Verstappen was warming up his tires when a fast approaching Norris approached him
Verstappen lost the rear end forcing the McLaren driver onto the grass to avoid a collision
“We were on our outlap and we all lined up to create a hole for everyone and somehow he still wanted to get me into the chicane but I was about to accelerate and I was on very cold tires so I had a little moment and that’s why he had to drive around me,” Verstappen defended.
“But if he had a little more respect for me, because everyone is queuing up anyway and I don’t think anyone is trying to get into that last chicane, so by trying to pass me you’re creating things like that.”
Verstappen, who had little time to celebrate his fifth pole position of the year given the investigation looming over him, was quickly backed by Red Bull boss Christian Horner who claimed Norris violated a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ to play that part of the race. not get a job.
“They were both on outlaps and there’s a gentlemen’s agreement between the drivers that when you get to that part of the track where you’re in position and you go through the last corner one by one,” said a tenacious Horner.
“So Lando has decided that he wants to be at the front of the line when they go to that last chicane.
Norris said he would be fined if he did the same as title leader Verstappen
Until then they followed each other all round. I don’t think (Max) expected it. He warmed up the tires to start the lap. They go through the chicane one by one.’
Article 33.4 of the Sporting Regulations – which will now be interpreted by the Stewards – states: ‘A car must not at any time be driven unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner that could be considered potentially dangerous to other drivers or other persons .’
Unsurprisingly, Norris was unequivocal in that he expects Verstappen to ‘certainly’ be punished for what he and McLaren deemed dangerous driving – saying he would be punished if he did the same as the Dutchman.
“It was pretty clear that he was trying, yes,” Norris said when asked if Verstappen was aggressively defending his position.
“There’s no rule about what you can do, but doing what he did is something you can’t do.
“People always overtake before the last corner, no matter how much everyone always agrees, everyone always does it, so it doesn’t matter.
“Had he been in my situation, he probably would have done the same, but I wouldn’t have turned to him if I had been in his situation.”