Lando Norris laid the blame for his race-ending collision with Max Verstappen entirely at his rival’s feet.
The two drivers made contact at turn three on the 64th lap of the race while Norris was trying to pass Verstappen. The Red Bull driver moved off-line approaching the corner to defend his position and the McLaren driver made his move on the outside.
Verstappen moved back across to the left and the pair made contact. Norris retired as a result of the damage while Verstappen was able to continue and finish the race in fifth place.
Norris accused his rival of repeatedly changing his line in the braking zones as they fought over the lead. He said that eventually led to the collision between them.
“There’s a rule – you’re not allowed to react to the other driver,” Norris told Sky. “And that’s what he did three times out of three.
“Two times I managed to avoid it and not run into him – not lock up and run into him – and the third time he just ran into me.
“So I don’t know. I was just trying to drive my race and he was clearly a lot slower at the end. He ruined his own race just as much as he ruined mine, but nothing more I can do. I did my best and that was good enough, but it got ruined through not my own fault.”
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The McLaren driver said the stewards failed to enforce the rules prior to the collision. “I [can only] do so much,” he said. “I mean, there’s rules and if the rules aren’t followed, nothing I can do about that.
“I just have to do my job, which is to go out and drive and drive fast and do what I was doing today, which was is easily good enough for the win.
“From my side, I’ll just carry on doing what I’m doing. I’m doing a good job. I’m happy with my efforts and my improvements from yesterday to today. So on to Silverstone.
“I can’t do anything more than I would have done. So I’m happy. I’m happy with the team and everything we’re doing, but got let down today.”
Although the pair have had a friendly rivalry in the past, Norris said his rival must own up to his errors in today’s race.
“If he says he did nothing wrong, then I’ll lose a lot of respect for that. If he admits to being a bit stupid and running into me and just being a bit reckless in a way, then probably [I’ll have] a small amount of respect for him.
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