Max Verstappen delivered a savage response to Lando Norris ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Heading into the weekend at Interlagos, all the talk surrounded the tense battle between Red Bull superstar Verstappen and McLaren’s Norris.
The pair went wheel to wheel in the past two Grands Prix with both drivers being handed penalties as they continued their fight to become the Formula 1 world champion.
After being slapped with a 20-second penalty during the Mexico City Grand Prix, there were calls for Verstappen to revise his driving style.
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Norris said: “I still have a lot of respect for Max and everything he does. Not respect for what he did last weekend, but respect for him as a person and also what he's achieved.
“Max knows what he has to do, he knows that he did wrong. Deep down he does and it's for him to change not for me."
He added: “He knows what he can and can't do and where the limits are -- so he knows the changes he has to make.”
After being quizzed on Norris’ comments on Dutch TV, Verstappen replied: “Three-time world champion. I don’t have to change anything.
“But why would I change my driving style? I know very well what I can’t or can do, or am allowed to do. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And sometimes you just have to lose.”
Norris has since cut the gap to Verstappen to 44 points after winning the sprint race on Saturday. The Dutchman was demoted from third to fourth after being handed a five-second penalty for a VSC infringement in the closing stages.
Speaking afterwards, the Brit said: “Not proud about it, but we worked well as a team together, so I thank Oscar.
“We've done a great job as a team. Today was the result that we wanted. Oscar deserved it, but we did what we had to do.”
Topics: Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, McLaren
Marcus Chan