One of the burning questions following the Austrian Grand Prix was whether or not Max Verstappen and/or Lando Norris would change their racing fashion following a dramatic late-race collision that ended each drivers’ probabilities of securing a victory.
According to Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner, Verstappen won’t be altering a factor.
Speaking with Sky Sports forward of the British Grand Prix the Red Bull boss backed his driver’s method whereas noting that future incidents between Norris and Verstappen ought to be anticipated given how each drivers are performing for the time being.
“Certainly, from Max’s facet, he’s not going to vary,” mentioned Horner.
“There’s a component, I feel, of Lando studying learn how to race Max and so they’re discovering that. Inevitably, there may be going to be extra shut racing between the 2 of them because the vehicles look so shut over the forthcoming races.
“Max is a tough racer – he’s in all probability one of many hardest racers on the circuit and everyone is aware of that in case you’re going to race towards Max, he’s going to provide pretty much as good as he will get.”
Horner additionally addressed feedback made by McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella instantly after the race. Speaking with Sky Sports F1 analyst Ted Kravitz, Stella outlined how the reluctance of race stewards to intervene up to now — akin to through the 2021 season when Verstappen was battling with Lewis Hamilton — led to moments just like the incident in Austria.
As you would possibly count on, Horner had a special view.
“He raced extremely arduous in 2021, he’s a troublesome racer, and he hasn’t actually been racing anybody for 2 years as a result of he’s been out entrance a lot,” Horner mentioned.
“The battle between the 2 of them has been constructing over two, three, 4 races the place they’ve been racing one another carefully and arduous, and sooner or later that was at all times going to spill over – and it did at Turn 3,” started Horner. “He was punished in 2021 if he did one thing improper simply as Lewis, who he was racing so arduous that yr, was for issues he did improper.
“I feel it’s improper and unfair to label a driver like that and I’m certain within the warmth of the second it was irritating for Andrea, however that’s simply powerful racing. He labored with Michael Schumacher [at Ferrari] for therefore a few years – he of all folks ought to know that.”
During his dialogue with Sky Sports, Horner additionally addressed one other burning query following the Austrian Grand Prix: Have Norris and Verstappen mentioned the incident?
According to the Red Bull boss, that chat has already occurred.
“I perceive they’ve spoken already, I don’t assume there may be any subject,” added Horner.
How the 2 drivers deal with related battles going ahead will probably be a serious storyline all through the remainder of the 2024 marketing campaign. But one factor is obvious:
The FIA Press Conference schedules for this weekend’s British Grand Prix — which have but to be introduced — might be fascinating.
