Norris jokes about Verstappen friendship: 'Never say that again!'

F1 News

lando norris on max verstappen relationship friends
14 December 2023 at 16:30
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  • Ludo van Denderen

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen are very close friends. At least, that is the general assumption in the paddock. The pair - both have a Belgian mother - regularly go out together, for example with their mutual buddy Martin Garrix (a DJ). Yet when a journalist in Abu Dhabi makes a humorous remark about the close relationship between Verstappen and Norris, the Brit reacted sharply.

"He's not my BFF! Don't ever say that again. We respect each other, and we get along. Kind of friends away. But that's it. We just have a lot of respect for one another. That's as simple as it gets," Norris told the media - including GPblog.

McLaren wants to challenge Red Bull Racing

Incidentally, the initial question was to Norris how he thought Verstappen performed during the final races of the season. "But he is doing a good job," explained the Briton. "They're not just quicker in pace. They’re a lot better on degradation. And Max is one of the best drivers, so it's a tough combination to beat. We're almost getting what we need to begin to challenge."

McLaren hopes to take the next step in terms of competitiveness next season. The team already made a huge leap during 2023, but failed to pick up a win in a Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri did, however, win the sprint race in Qatar. But next season, therefore, McLaren wants more than that.