Sainz predicts Verstappen Norris friendship to dip: 'Respect quickly lost'

Sainz on former teammates Verstappen and Norris

At the Red Bull Ring, Verstappen and Norris clashed literally and figuratively, giving George Russell the win. The two briefly avoided each other after this but soon had it out.

"Maybe it's because of the social media world we live in, the fact that we all grew up together in the lower categories and have known each other for many years, the fact that we also respect and admire each other very much. We know from each other how difficult what we do is, the pressure we are under, the risks we take on the track," Sainz said in a conversation with the Spanish edition of GQ.

"I respect the man who stands next to me and does the same as me. I appreciate what he has done to reach the point where he can compete for victories in Formula 1. I think that makes us respect each other and get along well, something you might not always have seen in the past," the Ferrari driver continued.

"But as you saw in Austria: as soon as there is friction, as soon as there is a collision, that respect is lost very quickly. Then drivers sometimes go through a down period where they don't get along as well. Then, with time, that wears off and is forgotten little by little," Sainz concluded.

This article has been written in collaboration with Matt Gretton

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