Media day at the British Grand Prix has been dominated by the contact between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the Red Bull Ring last Sunday.
From lap 55 onwards, the Dutchman and Brit went hard at it, having multiple battles before an unfortunate collision on lap 64 at turn 3 saw both drivers end up with a puncture.
Norris was forced to retire as he had a lot of damage after driving back to the pits quickly, with Verstappen finishing P5 on track, staying in that spot despite a 10-second penalty.
With moving under braking, both ending up in the run-off at points, divebombs and contact eventually happening, a number of drivers got queried about it in their various media sessions.
Following the race, a number of media outlets heavily criticised the Dutchman’s actions.
However, his fellow drivers did not join in, with many defending the 26-year-old and how he drove.
You can read their thoughts in full below.
Charles Leclerc
“Well honestly, I don’t have much to say on the stewards decision. I mean they have a lot of information in the stewards room that I don’t have access to.
“At the same time, looking at the images, I think we had a very similar situation back in 2022, where I was squeezing Max a bit on the outside and he had to go on the kerb, so I think it was avoidable from both sides.
“But apart from that, not much more.”
Carlos Sainz
“In my view, it is clear that you can move to defend and then come back but always leave one car’s width to the white line so the other car fits. That’s the rule.
“I really struggle with the fact that we need to keep adding rules to the racing side of it. I think there’s so many already.
“If you guys read the rule book about what you need to do if you overtake on the inside, what you need to do if you defend on the inside, what you need to do if you attack on the outside, what you need to do if you attack, defend from the outside.
“It’s all a different set of regulations that is already super detailed and specific which I struggle to follow exactly when I’m in a car driving at 300 kph because you cannot think at that speed about all those rules.
“Let’s say I don’t want any further rules. The rules are clear enough and there was a decision taken on the stewards’ side already so there’s nothing much to talk about for sure.”
Yuki Tsunoda
“To be honest, it wasn’t that obvious the move under the braking. I mean it was pretty normal. I’ve seen much worse than that.
“Obviously the main thing is that it’s just a shame that they had contact. I don’t think if they didn’t contact […] I’m sure the FIA won’t give any penalty to Max and they still continue, and also Lando wouldn’t complain as well.
“It’s part of racing.”
Daniel Ricciardo
“You look at it, yeah, like it’s hard, but you’re also fighting for a win. So yeah, you’re not going to just wave someone by.
“And I think the contact, that can happen probably nine times out of 10 with no consequence.
“So it was also just, they’d been going at it back and forth. Obviously, maybe the angle a bit awkward. Obviously Lando ended [up out of] the race. I think that the outcome was bigger than probably what was actually happening on track.
“What I saw at least, nothing seemed over the top. Was it pushing the edge? Probably. But was anything dangerous or reckless, at least from what I’ve seen? No.”
Alex Albon
“It’s aggressive racing, but I think it’s blown out of proportion, in my opinion.
“I think it was questionable, more the first move where Max moved under braking the first time. I don’t really think he moved under braking on the one where they made contact. I think that was more just kind of heading more towards a straight line, just going more towards the left.
“But yeah, definitely more you guys [the media] enjoying it than I think the reality of it was just pure racing, hard racing.
Nico Hülkenberg
“No, it was racing for me.
“It was next to no contact. I mean, it was the slightest of contact.I don’t think you could have less contact, and just obviously quite bad how they hit, and that both rims kind of broke from that. But usually you get away with that kind of contact.
“So, I felt it was all biffed up quite a bit and dramatic, and for me, it was just racing.
“To be honest, for me, Max wasn’t doing much. He was more or less driving a straight line.
“We have to leave a car with, which I think there was, and there was still a kerb on the left and not a wall, and room.”
George Russell
“No, I don’t think so [racing Verstappen differently], to be honest.
“You know Max is one of the best, and he’s a hard racer, and he’ll push the rules to the limit, as all of the top drivers do, to be honest.
“So yeah, I think we all know what the rules are, what the rules are around moving under braking. You probably push that slightly beyond the limit.
“As for the incident, as Lando said, it was just kind of a very small thing with big consequences and part of racing. So, yeah, short answer is no.”
Sergio Pérez
“I agree with what George said. I think Max pushes every single bit to the limit, as many top drivers do, as many drivers in the grid do.
“And, you know, when you’re racing him, it’s going to be a hard, fair battle.”
