McLaren chief executive Zak Brown has accused Red Bull of failing to comply with Formula One regulations following the Austrian Grand Prix crash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
The two drivers collided with eight laps to go as Norris’s faster McLaren attempted to overtake Verstappen’s Red Bull for the lead. The incident led to the former’s retirement from Sunday’s race and forced the latter to pit, leaving him fifth.
After the stewards’ decision to hand Verstappen a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision, Norris was highly critical of his friend and rival immediately after the race, before backtracking on his demands for an apology in front of the media on Thursday at this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
Brown, who was not in Austria, faced the media at Silverstone after Norris topped the first practice session on Friday and criticised both the race stewards and his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner for failing to take action that could have curbed Verstappen’s aggression as the battle reached boiling point.
“Max and Lando just fought like you would expect, and until someone tells Max, ‘Hey, that’s against the rules,’ he’s not going to know how to do anything else,” Brown said. “So I think the stewards missed some opportunities to take note.”
“I’m also disappointed that a team as great as Red Bull almost encourages this practice. You listen to what’s being said on the radio. We all have a responsibility on the pit wall to tell our drivers what to do and what not to do in the race.”
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Former three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart gives Lando Norris and Max Verstappen safety advice after stars involved in Austrian Grand Prix crash
Brown, who has already had fierce exchanges with Horner through the media, then referred to Red Bull’s breach of F1’s financial regulations in 2021 and the Red Bull boss’s ongoing feud with Jos Verstappen, the father of his star driver.
“So I think we have to respect the regulations,” he continued. “And we’ve seen a lack of respect, whether it’s financial regulations or track athletic practices, issues with fathers and things of that nature.
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Max Verstappen said he was “really upset” by his collision with Lando Norris and insisted they had the same opinion about the hard-fought race and would continue to do so.
“I don’t think that’s the way we should approach racing and we should guide our drivers on what’s right and wrong. And I think if that had been sorted out earlier, maybe this incident wouldn’t have happened. So I think a racing incident could have been avoided if the pit wall and the stewards had maybe been more aware of what the regulations say you can and can’t do.”
Asked if he would be interested in discussing the situation with Horner, Brown replied: “That’s the role of the FIA. I don’t really want to talk to Christian.”
Brown: Verstappen has not gained a psychological advantage
The pain of the incident for McLaren was exacerbated by the final result: Verstappen extended his lead over Norris at the top of the drivers’ standings to 81 points.
Some in the paddock at Silverstone, including Sky Sports F1Red Bull Racing’s Martin Brundle questioned whether Norris had given up a psychological advantage over Verstappen by giving up his initially critical position.
Brown is adamant that Norris, who took his first F1 victory in Miami in May, has not given up any ground to the three-time world champion.
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Lewis Hamilton refuses to comment on his thoughts on Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collision in Austria
“No, I don’t think so at all,” Brown said. “Show me a world champion and I think the words ruthless and aggressive would be two good characteristics to describe any world champion or Grand Prix winning driver.
“I think Lando wants to move on from last weekend. Some people might appreciate a public spat. They have a strong relationship off the track. They’ve talked. What they’ve talked about is their own business.
“From what I’ve seen, they both want to move on and start fighting each other on the track again.”
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Lando Norris says Max Verstappen needs no apologies for their crash in Austria and says it was a “pathetic” incident that ended both their races
Despite only recently being given a car to regularly compete for wins, Norris has become perhaps F1’s most popular young star, thanks in part to his easy-going and friendly nature off the track.
Norris’ “nice guy” reputation was also a topic of discussion after his comments on Thursday, but Brown said he has no concerns about the Briton being “too nice”.
“I’m very happy with Lando,” he said. “There’s a difference between what a racing driver is when he puts his helmet on and puts his visor down and what he is from Monday to Thursday, the way he communicates and the relationships he has.
“There are a lot of world champions who are darlings outside the race car but quite fierce once the helmet is on, and Lando is no exception.”
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The F1 paddock gives its opinion on the controversial collision between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in Austria ahead of the British Grand Prix
Horner: Max Lando incident started in Spain
Talk to Sky Sports F1 On Friday, ahead of Brown’s press conference, Horner said he felt the incident between Verstappen and Norris had started a week earlier at the Spanish Grand Prix.
In the first race of the European F1 triple-header which concludes at Silverstone, pole-sitter Norris forced Verstappen off track at the start as the McLaren driver tried in vain to keep the Red Bull behind him.
Although neither Verstappen nor Norris mentioned the Spanish Grand Prix exit in reference to what happened in Austria, Horner said he believed the two were linked.
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On the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, Damon Hill discusses the clash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris that robbed both drivers of a chance of victory.
“For me this incident started a week earlier in the run up to Turn 1 in Barcelona where Lando had put him on the grass,” Horner said.
“You see they’re starting to get fiery. These guys are racing each other and battling hard throughout their careers.
“You know how Max is. He’ll fight for every inch of tarmac. I’m sure Lando will learn from this and Max will too.”
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Get new perspectives on the collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris and its aftermath that cost them both the lead in the Austrian Grand Prix
Horner expects no let-up from either driver, with Red Bull and McLaren set to be very close again this weekend.
“It’s a tough race between the two of them,” he added. “They talked about it and obviously Lando’s position was downgraded a little bit, which is understandable, because of the emotion after the race.
“I’m sure we’ll see more tough races between the two in the second half of the year. We learn from them and move forward.”
Sky Sports F1 British GP Live Schedule (All F1 Sessions on Sky Showcase)
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Take a look back at some of the most dramatic moments over the years at the British Grand Prix
Saturday July 6th
9:15 a.m.: F3 Sprint
11:15 a.m.: British GP Practice 3 (session starts at 11:30)
1:10 p.m.: F2 Sprint
2:15 p.m.: Preparation for the British GP qualifying
3:00 p.m.: British GP Qualifying
5:00 p.m.: Ted’s Qualifications Book
Sunday July 7th
8:15 a.m.: F3 main race
9:50 a.m.: F2 main race
11:50 a.m.: Porsche Supercup
1:30 p.m.: Grand Prix Sunday – Preparation for the British GP
3:00 p.m.: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX
5:00 p.m.: Checkered flag: reaction to the British GP
6:00 p.m.: Ted’s Notebook
F1’s summer triple-header concludes with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Watch every session live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Showcase, with Sunday’s race at 3pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports monthly subscription – No contract, cancel anytime
