Lando Norris snaps “don’t ever say that again” as F1 ace fumes at Max Verstappen question

Asked about F1 CEO Max Verstappen, Lando Norris fumed: “Never say that.”

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen are good friends outside the F1 circuit, but the McLaren star is adamant his championship ambitions come first.

Lando Norris was not happy to hear Max Verstappen refer to him as his ‘BFF’ in the media at the end of the cold season.

The subject was raised when the Briton spoke to reporters after the final race of the 2023 season in Abu Dhabi. Of course, the topic of his future came up as the long-standing link with a move to Red Bull never went away.

Such a move would give him Verstappen, a partner Norris has always got on well with. But when the reporter told him this, he reacted harshly.

“He’s not my best friend. “Never say that,” said the McLaren star. “We respect each other, we get along well, we don’t have many friends, but that’s it. We respect each other a lot.”

Norris admitted that the move to the top team on the grid earlier this year was exciting. But he made it clear that it was his prerogative to win races and fight for the title with McLaren whenever possible. The Brit admits there is still a long way to go before current employers tackle the problem. He added: “Their cars are amazing. Red Bull is doing great, as it has been in recent years, so it would be a huge step forward if everyone got involved.

“Not only is it faster, but it’s also much better downhill. And Max is one of the best drivers so it’s hard to beat him. “But I think we’re getting closer to something that needs to be tested.”

Norris has tried to play down his relationship with Verstappen, but there’s no denying they get on well. And Verstappen also said this earlier this year: “Lando is down-to-earth and down-to-earth, so I get on very well with him. He is my best friend in the cage. “He loves what he does. When I went karting a few years ago, it was clear to me that it was very fast, even though we never raced against each other. As a driver, everything came naturally to him. Good performance was not unique or variable. He was always in the front lines. “So it was clear that he was always going to be here. Some people are fast, but I don’t know why or how to explain it. Lando knows what he’s doing and that’s a good thing for McLaren. When he first came to Formula 1, he was a bit overwhelmed. Lando can be a little shy, but he’s a really nice guy and you can see how he’s grown from year one to where he is now. And that helps his performance because he’s more confident.”