Lando Norris explain why he call out Max Verstappen ‘aggression’ with every other F1 driver in agreement

Lando Norris doubts he would use the same kind of “aggression” shown by Max Verstappen if he was competing for an F1 world title with the McLaren driver going on to admit that every other driver on the grid wants more “clarity” from the FIA on wheel-to-wheel racing. Verstappen had been tipped as a future world champion from the moment he stepped into F1 at the tender age of 17.

The Dutchman made an immediate impact in the sport with his fearless driving and became the youngest winner of an F1 race when he stood atop the podium at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. There was some teething problems in his early years though with Verstappen rubbing up his rivals on track the wrong way. That tenacious attitude was what ultimately led Verstappen to battling Lewis Hamilton for the world title last year.

Both drivers were locked in wheel-to-wheel racing on several occasions with the pair being guilty of causing separate incidents. When Hamilton was closing in on Verstappen’s championship lead towards the end of the season, the Red Bull driver took matters into his own hands on occasion. Martin Brundle was left “saddened” over Verstappen’s tactics at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Ultimately, Verstappen’s tactics paid off in Abu Dhabi after a controversial call from Michael Masi, which led to the 24-year-old winning his first world championship. But Norris doesn’t know how he would handle Verstappen’s “aggression” on track. It’s a different battle because of how Max races,” Norris told the BBC. “It’s a different breed of drivers. You saw how he drove and changed when it came down to those final races, with aggression.

It’s maybe something you don’t experience so much in the midfield because you’re not going for a World Championship, or some of the drivers don’t have that mentality of risking everything.”