Photo: McLaren
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella feels lessons can be learned to improve Formula 1 racing following Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ collision at last Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Verstappen and Norris had enjoyed a race-long battle at the Red Bull Ring, with the latter coming within just over half a second of the reigning world champion when they made contact on Lap 64.
Both drivers picked up punctures due to their collision, handing Mercedes’ George Russell an unlikely second F1 win. Norris would retire due to the severity of the damage, whilst Verstappen, who was given a 10-second time penalty for his role in the incident, finished a distant fifth.
“This race has given us a lot of good information to fix some of the aspects which are needed to go racing, in a way, that we can enjoy these kinds of battles until the checkered flag,” said Stella to selected media outlets. “For me, it is a big shame that we didn’t see the last six or seven laps because they would have been quite entertaining and they are not entertaining because simply the rules were not enforced."
“Because it would have been enough to give Max a warning, like a black-and-white flag, [so] ‘don’t do it again’, and he would have been much more prudent in closing the door on Lando."
“When it comes to track limits, I think if the track limits is because you are trying to overtake somebody and you locked [up] a little bit, then I am left wondering what kind of racing are we going to have if this is enforced in this way because drivers will not even attempt to overtake because ‘oh it will cost me one of the three strikes I have available’."
“But this one, I think, can easily be resolved, and we are not upset about this, we think it’s wrong, but it’s important that it’s addressed for the future because we want to see a distinction between track limits that are genuine because you are trying to take an advantage in terms of racing line and track limits that come with a big loss of advantage because you went off.”
Norris’s first retirement since crashing out of last November’s Las Vegas GP and Verstappen’s fifth-place finish means the gap between the pair in the drivers' championship has been extended from 69 points to 81.
It marks the first time Norris and Verstappen, friends off the track, have collided in a race during a period where McLaren are continuing to gain ground on Red Bull in the constructors championship.
“We talked with Lando, I saw his comments, I think he said the right things in saying, ‘it’s a great battle, but there's no need to act so desperately’,” added Stella. “There is no need to think that the world is going to finish if the overtaking manoeuvre by the car behind is going to be completed."
“Max, you’ll have your own opportunity, it’s not going to finish the world now if he makes it. That’s the message, and for us we would like to hope that’s the case for the future.”
After winning in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Verstappen suffered a rare mechanical failure when leading in Australia, costing him 25 potential world championship points and a hat-trick of victories. Norris secured his first podium of 2024 in Australia, finishing third behind the Ferrari pair of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who took a memorable 1-2 finish. Verstappen fought back with victories in Japan and China, with Norris finishing second in the latter ahead of the Dutchman’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
In Miami, a virtual safety car caused by an accident involving Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant put Verstappen under pressure from Norris, who now had a golden chance of winning. Once the VSC ended, Norris overtook Verstappen for the lead, securing his maiden Formula 1 win on his 150th GP start.
Upon returning to Europe, Verstappen struggled with his RB20, which was proving tricky to drive around Imola. Despite taking a surprise pole, he had to go on the defensive as Norris shrunk the gap to just half a second at the checkered flag, with Verstappen hanging on to win.
In Canada, strategy decided the latest Verstappen/Norris battle as an earlier second stop, and fresher tyres helped the Dutchman squeeze by the McLaren star to take another victory.
In a prelude to their Austrian contretemps, Norris from pole cut across Verstappen on the run down to Turn 1, opening the door for Russell to take the lead. By Lap 16, the pair were back at the head of the field, and once again, Norris set about hunting Verstappen down, coming within two seconds of the Dutchman but again ran out of laps.
The F1 charabanc leaves Austria for the British GP at Silverstone in what looks to be another rematch between Verstappen and Norris. In 2023, Norris diced with Verstappen for the lead in the opening five laps before the Dutchman, using DRS, breezed past at Brooklands on course to his ninth victory of the season.
Both drivers picked up punctures due to their collision, handing Mercedes’ George Russell an unlikely second F1 win. Norris would retire due to the severity of the damage, whilst Verstappen, who was given a 10-second time penalty for his role in the incident, finished a distant fifth.
“This race has given us a lot of good information to fix some of the aspects which are needed to go racing, in a way, that we can enjoy these kinds of battles until the checkered flag,” said Stella to selected media outlets. “For me, it is a big shame that we didn’t see the last six or seven laps because they would have been quite entertaining and they are not entertaining because simply the rules were not enforced."
“Because it would have been enough to give Max a warning, like a black-and-white flag, [so] ‘don’t do it again’, and he would have been much more prudent in closing the door on Lando."
“When it comes to track limits, I think if the track limits is because you are trying to overtake somebody and you locked [up] a little bit, then I am left wondering what kind of racing are we going to have if this is enforced in this way because drivers will not even attempt to overtake because ‘oh it will cost me one of the three strikes I have available’."
“But this one, I think, can easily be resolved, and we are not upset about this, we think it’s wrong, but it’s important that it’s addressed for the future because we want to see a distinction between track limits that are genuine because you are trying to take an advantage in terms of racing line and track limits that come with a big loss of advantage because you went off.”
Praise for Norris’ post-race comments
After retiring from the race, Norris criticised Verstappen in the media, calling out the triple-world champion for his reckless and desperate driving.Norris’s first retirement since crashing out of last November’s Las Vegas GP and Verstappen’s fifth-place finish means the gap between the pair in the drivers' championship has been extended from 69 points to 81.
It marks the first time Norris and Verstappen, friends off the track, have collided in a race during a period where McLaren are continuing to gain ground on Red Bull in the constructors championship.
“We talked with Lando, I saw his comments, I think he said the right things in saying, ‘it’s a great battle, but there's no need to act so desperately’,” added Stella. “There is no need to think that the world is going to finish if the overtaking manoeuvre by the car behind is going to be completed."
“Max, you’ll have your own opportunity, it’s not going to finish the world now if he makes it. That’s the message, and for us we would like to hope that’s the case for the future.”
The events leading up to the incident
The incident between Norris and Verstappen occurred when the 2024 title race was heating up between the pair.After winning in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Verstappen suffered a rare mechanical failure when leading in Australia, costing him 25 potential world championship points and a hat-trick of victories. Norris secured his first podium of 2024 in Australia, finishing third behind the Ferrari pair of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who took a memorable 1-2 finish. Verstappen fought back with victories in Japan and China, with Norris finishing second in the latter ahead of the Dutchman’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
In Miami, a virtual safety car caused by an accident involving Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant put Verstappen under pressure from Norris, who now had a golden chance of winning. Once the VSC ended, Norris overtook Verstappen for the lead, securing his maiden Formula 1 win on his 150th GP start.
Upon returning to Europe, Verstappen struggled with his RB20, which was proving tricky to drive around Imola. Despite taking a surprise pole, he had to go on the defensive as Norris shrunk the gap to just half a second at the checkered flag, with Verstappen hanging on to win.
In Canada, strategy decided the latest Verstappen/Norris battle as an earlier second stop, and fresher tyres helped the Dutchman squeeze by the McLaren star to take another victory.
In a prelude to their Austrian contretemps, Norris from pole cut across Verstappen on the run down to Turn 1, opening the door for Russell to take the lead. By Lap 16, the pair were back at the head of the field, and once again, Norris set about hunting Verstappen down, coming within two seconds of the Dutchman but again ran out of laps.
The F1 charabanc leaves Austria for the British GP at Silverstone in what looks to be another rematch between Verstappen and Norris. In 2023, Norris diced with Verstappen for the lead in the opening five laps before the Dutchman, using DRS, breezed past at Brooklands on course to his ninth victory of the season.
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