Lando Norris against Max Verstappen: The collision between the two Formula 1 drivers is still keeping the premier class on tenterhooks days later. And not only because of the controversy surrounding the contact itself, which paved the way for George Russell and Mercedes to their first Formula 1 victory since November 2022, but also because Verstappen and Norris are currently the two fiercest rivals for the world championship title.
While Verstappen leads the drivers’ championship with 237 points, Norris is in second place with 156 points. A considerable gap, which grew by another twelve points at the Spielberg weekend. Nevertheless, given McLaren’s recent strong performances, a possible battle for the championship this season does not seem entirely out of the question. But would Norris also be capable of taking on Verstappen in a battle for the championship if the worst came to the worst?
Danner: Good thing Norris is taking responsibility for himself
At least Lando Norris himself has not always seemed satisfied with his own performance in recent weeks – and this was also the case in Austria. While Norris directed his anger at Verstappen on Sunday in Spielberg, the 24-year-old castigated himself after losing the duel with the Red Bull driver in the sprint on Saturday, as he had done previously this season. That’s right, says Christian Danner in the latest edition of the ‘AvD Motorsport Magazine’: “He didn’t judge himself too harshly. He recognized that correctly.”
According to Danner, this reflection on one’s own behavior in duels is also necessary, as duels between two drivers with similarly performing cars are more difficult than those between two cars with larger differences in performance. “When two equally good cars and two equally good drivers come together at the very tip of the iceberg, it is very good of Norris to take a look at himself and think: ‘Man, what an idiot I am to let myself be beaten like that. That’s unbelievable,'” says Danner.
But Norris also did not handle the duel in the Grand Prix ideally in Danner’s eyes. Unlike the stewards, the long-time RTL commentator did not see the blame clearly on the reigning world champion for the collision between the McLaren driver and Verstappen and also had some critical words for Norris. You can read Danner’s opinion on the race-deciding scene at the Austrian GP here:
Danner: Tackling is that little bit extra in Formula 1
That’s why Danner sums up Norris’s tackling behavior: “So that’s the last area in which Lando Norris still has to learn something new.” The former Formula 1 driver acknowledges: “At least after the sprint he was able to analyze it. And now, a little later after the race, with a little more time between racing and thinking, he has also come to the same conclusion as far as the race analysis is concerned.”
Danner also urgently needs Norris to learn more in this area. Because it is precisely the calm tackling behavior that he shows, for example, The 66-year-old sees Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Mika Häkkinen as a key to great success in Formula 1.
“They were all really great drivers who found a way to race against each other, or to overtake each other or not to overtake each other,” Danner analyzes. “And that’s the little extra thing that you have to learn as a Formula 1 driver – very few get that far up. And Lando Norris has already understood that.”
Danner: Norris made an impression on Verstappen
At the same time, Danner urges patience in Norris’ learning process. A tackling style at this level can only be learned in duels with drivers of the caliber of Max Verstappen. Nevertheless, Danner believes that Norris has already made an impression on Verstappen with his sometimes aggressive maneuvers at the Red Bull Ring: “To make an example – ‘not with me, my dear friend’ – is something that you are taken seriously. That is something very, very difficult. And I do believe that Lando managed to do that against Max, even if the result was not so exciting.”
“‘But hey there, look out, I’m here now, I’m here and I can overtake you too’: that’s not something you’re going to scare Max Verstappen with. For God’s sake, he’s far too good for that,” Danner continued. “But you have to show him in such a way that he notices it. And that’s at least something that Lando has managed to do.”
By the way, Christian Danner was not the only one who did not see the Dutchman as being clearly to blame for the collision between Norris and Verstappen in Spielberg. Former Formula 1 driver Alexander Wurz, who is now president of the drivers’ union GPDA, also judged the punishment against Verstappen to be too harsh. You can read all the details in this interview with Wurz: