British media slam Verstappen: 'Driving with a serious distaste to the FIA'

The Times

The move came one week after the two rivals clashed in the United States Grand Prix. Between Austin and Mexico, most of the attention was placed on that incident, and the way the rules are worded. The British paper believed Verstappen had something against the FIA. "Verstappen drove like a man with serious distaste for the sport’s governing body, battling back to sixth after being handed two ten-second penalties for his approach against Norris during incidents on lap ten," the outlet said before linking the situation to a bee.

"Only Norris’s evasive action avoided a crash as Verstappen twice drove him off the racetrack at turns four and eight, but like a honey bee which could not resist the urge to sting despite the fatal consequences, Verstappen saw his championship lead narrowed to 47 points with 120 remaining."

The Guardian 

Norris and Verstappen are good friends, but the Guardian senses the McLaren driver's patience is being tested. "The defending champion was looking very much like he was beginning to feel the pressure. As Verstappen once more pushed the envelope of what is acceptable on track, this time Norris came out in front of the Dutchman. Verstappen can really only hold himself to blame for letting his rival back in the chase," the Guardian wrote on their website.

"The pair are good friends but on this form, how much of Verstappen’s attitude to wheel-to-wheel racing Norris is willing to accede to in good humour must be in question," the website continued before suggesting how the move actually cost the Red Bull driver when he had the pace to finish closer to Norris. "Verstappen was aggrieved as ever, but it was impossible to ignore that by being just a little less aggressive, he would have been at least in position to finish within a couple of places of Norris."

The Sun

The British tabloid sense a comeback from Norris. "Lando Norris back in title contention," the title read before also linking the situation to the messages with the FIA during the week. "Dutchman Verstappen had clearly taken no notice of the complaints about his driving and tussled with Norris for ­second place on lap ten. It seems they were keen to get their message across loud and clear during yesterday’s race," The Sun wrote.

Daily Mail 

The Daily Mail also sense the title fight is "alive and kicking'. "Max Verstappen crossed the thin white line of his genius in a chaotic, bitter and potentially dangerous Mexico City Grand Prix that saw his world championship lead over Lando Norris cut by his own hand. And, suddenly, the title fight is alive and kicking. Never a man to walk away from motor racing's equivalent of a bar-room brawl, Verstappen was unlikely to yield to his pal, McLaren's British driver who only a few days earlier had admitted he could not live with such a talent," the outlet added.