Norris Urged to Stand His Ground Against Verstappen Followings...

Norris Urged to Stand His Ground Against Verstappen Followings…read more

Former Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has weighed in on the ongoing on-track tensions between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, encouraging the young Brit to build the confidence to stand his ground—even if that means risking a collision. The comments follow a contentious moment at the Miami Grand Prix, where Norris dropped from second to sixth place after being pushed wide by Verstappen at the opening corner.

During the first-lap tussle, Verstappen had a marginal position advantage heading into the corner, which meant race officials did not penalize him despite the incident compromising Norris’ race. Though Norris recovered impressively to finish second, the event was one of several over the past year where the McLaren driver has been on the losing end of tight calls. Steiner believes it’s time Norris stops playing it safe and races more assertively, particularly when battling hard-nosed competitors like Verstappen.

Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner offered candid advice to Norris, who has recently come under scrutiny for his perceived lack of aggression. “He just needs to focus on himself,” Steiner said. “Ignore the outside noise and drive the way he believes is right. At some point, he will crash into Max, but that might be what it takes. He shouldn’t be overly concerned about things he can’t control.”

The former Haas boss added that Norris’ personality might be holding him back in high-pressure scenarios. “Lando is a very talented driver and knows what he’s capable of, but he’s also a bit shy and avoids confrontation. He has to decide how he wants to race. If a collision happens, then so be it. That’s racing.”

Norris has already taken steps to improve his mindset, working with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel to refine his approach to race weekends and media interactions. However, Steiner’s comments suggest a more aggressive shift may be necessary if Norris wants to assert himself as a true championship contender.

The Miami Grand Prix wasn’t the only recent setback for Norris. A qualifying crash in Saudi Arabia cost him a potential race win, and despite leading the championship earlier in the season, he now trails teammate Oscar Piastri by 16 points. Verstappen, while not currently leading the standings, continues to be a disruptive force for Norris, both in wheel-to-wheel battles and psychologically.

During the Miami race, Norris also struggled to overtake Verstappen in the latter stages, which allowed Piastri to extend his lead up front. With the title race tightening, Norris is keen to focus on internal team battles with Piastri, but Verstappen remains a persistent obstacle.

As the season progresses, the pressure on Norris is building—not just to perform, but to prove he can take the fight to one of the sport’s fiercest competitors. Whether he embraces Steiner’s advice and races more aggressively could shape his trajectory in the 2025 championship and beyond.