Verstappen and Norris joke about their relationship: "We had a fight in a bar the other day!"

This was the duel that animated the 2024 season, or at least the second part of the season. Max Verstappen et Lando Norris regularly found themselves battling on the track, most of the time for the win, but also for the championship. The Briton caused many problems for the Dutchman who – in true Verstappen style – responded by flexing his muscles. Sometimes to the limit, sometimes beyond. Friends in life, the two drivers engaged in intense battles in 2024, with a rivalry that was created on the track and sometimes controversial episodes. In addition, we could mention The crash in the final laps in Austria, The controversy over the penalty imposed on Lando Norris in Austin or, Max Verstappen's two controversial maneuvers in Mexico which cost him two heavy time penalties.

If, thanks to a great start to the season, Max Verstappen had finally resisted Lando Norris and retained his world title, the relationship between the two drivers was obviously put to the test throughout this intense season. At the dawn of the 2025 campaign, is there still any resentment between the two? Not really. In fact, during the press conference organized on the sidelines of the winter tests in Bahrain, the Dutchman and the Briton preferred to laugh about it.

"Yes, we have a terrible relationship, said Max Verstappen in answering journalists who asked the two pilots about their friendly relationship. We don't get along anymore, you know. It's done damage. Yes, it's true. It's a tragedy." Lando Norris, sitting next to him, even added another layer: “We had a fight in a bar the other day!”, before Max Verstappen added: “We even had to be escorted!” A great way to respond to those who invent a bitter rivalry between them both on and off the track... those who have seen the last season of the series Drive to Survive on Netflix will understand.

"We respect each other a lot" recall Norris and Verstappen

In order to put an end to the rumours and speculations concerning the understanding between Max Verstappen and him, Lando Norris took a serious tone and recalled the mutual respect between the two drivers. “I think there will be other drivers involved [in the battles], which will make the racing more exciting for everyone. I know there will be tough battles and I’m sure some of them won’t always end the way I want them to or, I hope, the way Max wants them to, but we’re racing drivers. We get along well., confided the Englishman, to reassure the followers of the first degree. We've always said things like that to each other. I know everyone is trying to make their own arguments and say what's right and what's wrong, but we respect each other a lot and we're looking forward to more battles on the track." And us too!

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