Lando Norris Fumes at Max Verstappen as Unheard Radio Surfaces Ahead of Qatar GP

Lando Norris was furious with Max Verstappen before the Las Vegas Grand Prix that saw him receive a dramatic disqualification even began.

In just a few days time, the second of a dramatic three race finale to the 2025 Formula One season will get underway at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar.

At this stage of the season, many would have assumed that the title race would already be decided, as it has been so many time in the past.

However, after a dramatic Las Vegas Grand Prix saw both Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri disqualified, this couldn't be further from the truth as both drivers and reigning champion Max Verstappen remain in contention.

In the final weeks of the season, tensions between Norris and Verstappen, who are expected to be the favourites in the title race, will no doubt rise, as shown by a previously unheard radio from Norris ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen now has a chance to retain his F1 title. (Image: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Despite finishing the race in second place, all but confirming his place as the 2025 Drivers' Champion, Norris ended up having a disastrous weekend in Las Vegas as both he and Piastri were disqualified post-race due to excessive plank wear.

The result leaves Norris points tally of 390 unchanged, while Verstappen, who won the race, climbed up to match Piastri on 366 points, just 24 points behind the championship leader.

But before the race even got underway, Norris was unhappy with Verstappen as he got onto his team radio to complain about how his Red Bull rival was driving during the formation lap.

During the pre-race lap, Norris said: "He's taking the p*** with how big a gap he's leaving. It's way over the allowance."

Shortly after, McLaren replied: "We see that, Lando."

But Norris wasn't prepared to let it lie there, as he continued: "Come on! He's just taking the p*** here. You can't do this. It's 10 car lengths, no?"

His team then repeated: "We see that Lando."

FIA race regulations do not specifically list the the number of car lengths that must be maintained during the formation lap but instead vaguely state that "the formation must be kept as tight as possible."

Instead, Norris was likely thinking of the rules during a safety car which specify that drivers can be "no more than 10 car lengths apart."

Lando Norris was disqualified after finishing the Las Vegas Grand Prix in second. (Image: Kym Illman/Getty Images)

After the race, McLaren team principal, Andre Stella, suggested that Verstappen's behaviour during the formation lap may have frustrated Norris so much that it impacted his performance at the start.

He said: "Instinctively, actually, I thought at the pit wall to tell Will to say like; 'Tell him to stay calm', but we don't know whether that was an influence or not."

Norris had started the race on pole but quickly lost his race lead to Verstappen, who started in P2, after the Brit made a bold move as soon as the lights went out and eventually hit the brakes late into the first corner.

The 26-year-old later admitted: "I messed up turn one - it was pretty poor from me. I braked too late. So yeah, it was all on me; pretty poor from myself."