‘Dangerous’ – Formula One’s title battle gets hotter

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‘Dangerous’ – Formula One’s title battle gets hotter

Lando Norris says he knows what to expect from “dangerous” Max Verstappen after his world championship rival was hit with 20 seconds of penalties as the pair came together at the ******** Grand Prix.

Norris finished second – four places ahead of the Dutchman – to take 10 points out of Verstappen’s championship lead and will head to Brazil next weekend 47 points adrift with 120 points left to ****** for.

A week on from Norris being demoted behind Verstappen after receiving a penalty for overtaking his rival off the track in Austin, it was the Dutchman who fell foul of the stewards as he drove the McLaren man off the track.

McLaren were unsuccessful in contesting Norris’ penalty earlier this week but it took just 10 laps for the title rivals to clash again at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Norris went round the outside of Verstappen at turn five and was forced wide before the Red Bull driver left the track at turn eight, with the Briton again having to leave the circuit.

The stewards hit Verstappen with two separate 10-second penalties for the two corner incidents, with Norris saying “this guy is dangerous” over the team radio.

“I did everything I have been told in terms of what the rules are,” said Norris later.

“I go into every race expecting a tough battle with Max. It is clear it doesn’t matter if he wins or is second, he just wants to beat me in the race.

“He sacrifices himself to do that, like he did today.

“I want to have tough battles but fair ones. It is always going to be tough with Max.

“Today was not fair, clean racing so therefore he got the penalty.”

Norris said he is a “fair racer” and believes Verstappen is not concerned with his own finishing position, as long as he gets the better of his title rival.

“I think he knows that today was a bit over the limit.”

Pole-sitter Carlos Sainz cruised to victory as Norris produced a superb final stint to close down Charles Leclerc and claim second.

Verstappen drove back through the field after serving his penalties to finish sixth.

The three-time world champion insists he is more concerned by the lack of pace from his Red Bull car than the penalties he received.

“Yeah, 20 seconds is a lot but I am not going to cry about it and I am also not going to share my opinion,” Verstappen said.

“Turn four was more of a question mark, turn eight it is what it is.

“But that is not my problem, my problem is that we are too slow. That is why I am being put in those kind of positions.

“I just drive how I think you have to drive. Last week that was alright, this week 20-second penalty,” he added.

“It is what it is. Life goes on. I just keep racing.”

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