Martin Brundle says sorry to Max Verstappen in assessment of duel with Lando Norris
Max Verstappen was embroiled in a fierce battle with Lando Norris during the early stages of the Mexican Grand Prix, with the Red Bull star receiving two 10-second time penalties as a result
Max Verstappen’s driving style has come under further scrutiny.
Martin Brundle pulled no punches in his assessment of Max Verstappen‘s contentious clash with Lando Norris in the Mexican Grand Prix’s early stages.
Following the safety car’s departure after Yuki Tsunoda’s first-lap crash and Carlos Sainz’s pass on Verstappen for the lead, the Red Bull driver and Norris battled for second place. Unlike the previous weekend in Austin, Norris led into the corner but was forced off track by Verstappen on exit.
The Dutchman refused to back down, engaging in more hazardous wheel-to-wheel action that saw both drivers briefly leave the circuit. Verstappen received two 10-second time penalties for forcing Norris off track and leaving the circuit to gain an advantage.
Reviewing the incident, Sky Sports commentator Brundle apologised to Verstappen before criticising the defending F1 champion. “I am sorry, Max, that is outrageous,” he said.
Brundle advocated for a 10-second penalty before the stewards’ ruling was announced and described Verstappen’s initial move on Norris as “a clear shove.” After Verstappen’s second penalty, the Sky F1 favourite added: “For me, I had a feeling he had something else coming his way.
“They penalised him for the first one, which was rude and cheeky. But the second one was just plain dangerous. Now he is carrying a 20-second penalty. That is just about a full pit stop,” reports the Express.
Norris was left fuming and branded Verstappen “dangerous” following another on-track clash that nearly resulted in disaster. Only a week had passed since the heated exchange at the Circuit of the Americas, where Norris reluctantly accepted a five-second sanction for an off-track overtaking manoeuvre against Verstappen, who according to the Brit, “had left him with nowhere to go.”
After a narrow escape from collision at the Mexican race, Norris vented over his team radio: “I was ahead the whole way through the corner. This guy is dangerous. It is the same as last time. I will be in the wall in a minute.”
He got the last laugh, though, as he finished second to move 10 points closer to Verstappen in the chase for the drivers’ title. And after the race he said: “I do not think I need to say much. It is pretty self-explanatory on what happened. I did everything I have been told in terms of what the rules are.
“I go into every race expecting a tough battle with Max. It is clear it does not matter if he wins or is second, he just wants to beat me in the race. He sacrifices himself to do that, like he did today. I want to have tough battles but fair ones. It is always going to be tough with Max. Today was not fair, clean racing so therefore he got the penalty.”
