Lando Norris says Max Verstappen “ruined his own race” as he hit out at the reigning world champion after their feisty battle at the Miami Grand Prix.
Norris lost out to pole-sitter Verstappen as the pair battled for the lead at the opening chicane, with the Brit feeling he was “forced off” by the Red Bull at Turn 2, the evasive action he took dropping him down to sixth place.
He fought his way back by quickly overtaking Williams’ Alex Albon, then Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, before catching Verstappen, who had been fighting hard against Norris’ McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri for the race lead.
Piastri bided his time until Verstappen made a mistake and gave up first place, then the Dutchman defended hard against Norris in an intense battle over several laps, before eventually letting the McLaren through relatively easily.
The battle allowed Piastri to open up a nine-second lead over Norris, while Verstappen also would have lost crucial time that played a part in him later emerging from the only round of pit stops just behind Russell.
“It was fine. He’s fighting hard, but it’s up to him to do that,” said Norris, who now trails Piastri by 16 points in the Drivers’ Championship.
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Oscar Piastri snatched the lead from Max Verstappen, followed by Lando Norris into second after an intense battle at the Miami Grand Prix
“He ruined his own race. He’s not racing very smart. He probably could have finished third today, and he didn’t because of that. He’s fighting hard, as always expected, but that’s way it is.”
Verstappen, who was left exposed to Russell due to the unfortunate timing of a Virtual Safety Car, said he was simply defending hard “like everyone else”.
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Max Verstappen felt his Red Bull was ‘very far from a win’ after finishing in fourth after starting in pole position
“I tried to do my best. We put ourselves in a good starting position. I tried to give it a good battle, have a bit of fun out there at the same time. We couldn’t keep them behind,” he added.
“The rest was just a bit unlucky, with the VSC, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter when you’re P3 or P4, you’re here to target the win and we were very far from that.”
Norris: Verstappen can do whatever he wants
Norris and Verstappen clashed last year in Austria, USA and Mexico City, with penalties handed out at each race.
Although neither was penalised in Sunday’s Miami race, Norris appeared to be unhappy about the first-lap incident, which was noted but not investigated.
“Without that I’m in the wall, hard,” Norris told Sky Sports F1 when being asked about Verstappen’s snap of oversteer which meant the McLaren driver had no room and went off the track.
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Highlights of the Miami Grand Prix
Norris also stated Verstappen can “do whatever he wants” before half-joking he only said it “for the interview”.
Asked if he would do anything differently if the first-lap scenario comes up again, he added: “Nothing. If there’s a gap, I’m going to go for it. I’m not going to back out. I’m here to race. I will stop talking.”
The start of the race shed further light on F1’s Driving Standard Guidelines, which were updated ahead of this season.
The new rules effectively allow the driver on the inside line to run their rival wide, as long as they stay within track limits themselves, thus not having to leave space on the outside.
Piastri took advantage of the new overtaking regulations at the start in Saudi Arabia against Verstappen and, to an extent, in the Miami Sprint with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted that with hindsight, knowing how large his team’s pace advantage over the rest of the field was, Norris should have tucked in behind Verstappen.
He told Sky Sports F1: “The first lap, with hindsight, it would have potentially wiser for Lando to lift and accept he would have gained the lead later on in the race because the car was fast enough but that’s with the benefit of hindsight.”
Norris: I felt more comfortable in the car again
Piastri’s hat-trick of wins has made him favourite for the title, with Norris openly admitting he is not as confident with this year’s car compared to the one in which he finished last year’s championship second to Verstappen.
Although Piastri won, Norris whittled down a nine-second deficit after overtaking Verstappen to four seconds by the chequered flag, and also outqualified his McLaren team-mate for the first time since the Japanese Grand Prix a month ago.
“It’s still been a very good weekend for me. I’m happy with my progress,” said Norris. “I felt more comfortable in the car again. There’s still things I need to make progress on.
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz reflects on all the big talking points from the Miami Grand Prix
“I’m still not in the happiest and most perfect place and I’ve got to be there if I want to qualify at the front and perform against these other guys, perform against the best.
“So just keep chipping away. It’s been a positive weekend. Pace is very strong. Just these little things got in the way. But that happens.
“I’m still happy. Not the position I want of course. I’m here to fight for the win and go for the win but there’s always next time.”
F1’s European season begins with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on May 16-18, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
