Lando Norris said he was ‘expecting’ Max Verstappen’s ‘dangerous’ tactics in their nerve-jangling joust in the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Verstappen was handed two 10-second penalties that cost him ground in the title contest, with his lead cut to 47 points with 120 remaining. He finished sixth and Norris an important second.
Verstappen acted aggressively 15 laps into the race, twice pushing McLaren’s Norris off the track. Norris made his argument strongly over the radio, saying they would end up in the wall.
Speaking after the race won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Norris said: ‘It wasn’t clean racing. I knew what to expect. I didn’t want to expect that kind of thing because I respect Max a lot as a driver, but I was ready for something like this. I avoided a collision and it was a good race.
‘I just keep my head down. I’m doing my best. We’re doing a very good job as a team and today we were probably quickest in the end. We’ll keep pushing.’
Lando Norris said he was ‘expecting’ Max Verstappen’s ‘dangerous’ tactics in Mexico
The pair twice came together 15 laps into the race, with Norris going off the track both times
Norris hit out at Verstappen for what he described as ‘not clean racing’ on Sunday evening
Norris’s McLaren boss Zak Brown was more furious, saying: ‘The penalties were probably not enough.
‘It’s getting a bit ridiculous. Enough is enough. Let’s just have some good clean racing moving forwards.
‘The stewards are on it. That’s clear by the penalties that were given. The stewards did a good job this weekend.’
Verstappen did not want to comment on the rights and wrongs of the incidents directly but said: ‘Well, 20 seconds is a lot but I am not going to cry about it and I am also not going to share my opinion.
‘Today was a bad day in terms of race pace.
‘What happened with the stewards is not my problem; my problem is that we are too slow. That is why I am being put in those kinds of positions.
‘We didn’t touch. So, we are just racing hard.
‘It is what it is. Life goes on. I just keep racing.
Verstappen, who was penalised by 20 seconds, refused to publicly comment on the incidents
McLaren boss Zak Brown was furious as he slammed Verstappen and said ‘enough is enough’
As for 10-second penalties, Verstappen added with sarcasm: ‘Let’s try 20-second penalties next year… It doesn’t matter, I have no opinion.’
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: ‘Max left the track at Turn Four, then Lando opened the door very late and both ran off there.
‘The FIA and the drivers need to sit down and decide what is acceptable and what isn’t. Two 10-second penalties was a bit on the harsh side.’