Lando Norris‘s words in the press conference ahead of the British Grand Prix, where he performed a u-turn on his condemnation of Max Verstappen’s behaviour in Austria, have drawn much attention – and rightly so.
While it extinguished any chance of a rivalry that usually sparks discussions in pubs or lights up message boards on websites and news channels across the world, it has also provided an insight in modern Formula 1, where it is all so friendly.
A case in point is Verstappen’s comments in the Red Bull motorhome ahead of the race at Silverstone when he was asked about Norris’s post-race remarks.
In the fall-out from his short-lived spat with Norris, Verstappen said the only thing he was interested in was preserving his friendship with the McLaren driver. “The only thing that I care about is just my relationship with Lando,” he said.
I’m sorry, what? Is this the same F1 world champion, who comes with a reputation for hard racing, whose steely determination and bloody-mindedness are matched by his brilliance behind the wheel? The same one who battled for the title in 2021. What’s happened to him? Has he gone soft?
Maybe I am being a little facetious, but the modern era of F1 has seen a close-knit bond formed between a number of drivers, which on one hand is refreshing but on the other, too cosy.
Of course, friendships between drivers are nothing new in Formula 1. In the late 1950s, Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins formed an allegiance at Ferrari. In the 1960s it was Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart who bonded after Jim Clark’s death in 1968. And Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson became close when they raced together at Lotus in 1978. In more recent years, we have seen Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen being pals, although it would be a push to call that relationship insurmountable.
Press Conference featuring Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team, George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
However, it is clear that within this current generation, there are a greater number of genuine friendships that extend beyond the race tracks. We have seen the bromance between Norris and Carlos Sainz when they were with McLaren and that is frequently played out across social media and the golf course. Indeed Norris seems to be at the heart of the friendships that link George Russell, Alex Albon and…
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