Max Verstappen Unfazed by Critics, Prioritizes Friendship with Lando Norris After Dramatic F1 Collision

Max Verstappen "couldn't care less" about his critics; remains friends with Lando Norris

"The only thing that mattered to me was keeping my friendship with Lando intact."

Max Verstappen has stated that preserving his friendship with Lando Norris is his primary concern after their intense crash at the F1 Austrian Grand Prix.

Verstappen and Norris clashed at Turn 3 on the 64th lap of 71 at the Red Bull Ring while fiercely competing for the lead.

The crash destroyed any hope of winning for both drivers, leaving George Russell to seize an unexpected victory for Mercedes.

Initially, Norris criticized Verstappen and demanded that the Red Bull driver issue an apology. However, before this weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Norris retracted his statements.

When questioned about whether he feels he has faced unfair criticism, Verstappen responded to the media, including Crash.net, by saying, “I couldn’t care less about that. I go home and live my life.”

"The most important thing to me was preserving my friendship with Lando, since we have a strong bond."

Verstappen commented: "Following the race, I mentioned that we needed to let things settle since emotions were intense. We had a conversation right away on Monday, and I believe we both agreed that we genuinely appreciated our competition."

"Naturally, we both reviewed the incident. It was a minor contact, but it had significant repercussions for both of us, especially for Lando, as it led to a puncture. However, we both enjoy competitive racing."

"We've been engaging in this activity for years, not just in Formula 1 but also in online racing, where we've had a lot of enjoyment. This is something we want to continue because it's our passion, and I believe it benefits Formula 1 too."

The three-time world champion remains optimistic that their friendship can endure, even as their fierce on-track rivalry becomes more frequent in 2024.

He stated that they were in agreement on nearly everything, specifically 99%. He felt that this was a significant amount.

Of course, I told Lando that when he attempts overtakes, whether on the inside or outside, he can rely on me not to cause a collision. We discussed it and agreed it works both ways.

"Of course, it's normal for people to react when someone overtakes them on the inside or outside; there's always some sort of reaction."

However, in my opinion, all my actions were quite moderate and not excessive in any way.

"Naturally, when designing a car, you aim to push the boundaries of the regulations."

"You might encounter some ambiguities occasionally. This is similar to how you compete. If you don't, you'll never become a leading driver or achieve success in life."

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