WATCH: Lando Norris questions his 'friendship' with Max Verstappen after massive collision in Austria

A dramatic late-race collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris was the highlight of the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. Verstappen appeared to be in control for most of the race, but a slow pit stop by Red Bull allowed Norris to close the gap.

With 15 laps remaining, the British driver was within DRS range of the leader and made several attempts to overtake before tensions boiled over on Lap 64. The two drivers made contact at Turn 3, resulting in punctures for both.

Norris’s race ended prematurely, while Max Verstappen pitted for new tyres and finished fifth. After the race, the British driver expressed his frustration. “We were a little bit on the back foot in terms of overall pace compared to Max. In the first and second stints, he would always just edge away a little bit. But they seemed to make a lot more mistakes than we did,” Norris said. “They messed up their pit stop, which is rare for them. I felt like I drove a good race and kept myself in the fight the whole time.”

Here is what Norris said after the Austrian Grand Prix:

"I did nothing wrong" - Lando Norris#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/htYFBHkZOb

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 30, 2024

“Seemed a bit severe for me”, Max Verstappen defends himself

Despite a longstanding off-track friendship between Lando Norris and Verstappen, tension has now surfaced. When asked if the crash would affect their relationship, Norris was clear that Max should take responsibility. “It’s not for me to say. He should say something. I did nothing wrong – he was the one in the wrong, so he should be the one to say something, not me.”

Here is what Max Verstappen had to say:

Here's Verstappen's take on the fight with Norris #F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/2sC6tAekAR

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 30, 2024

In response to widespread criticism and the subsequent penalty, Verstappen offered a detailed defence. “I went back and reviewed it, and 10 seconds seemed a bit severe for me at that point,” the Dutch driver explained.

“It didn’t feel like there was anything overly aggressive going on in that movement. Norris’s attempts were quite late dive bombs, just sending it up the inside and hoping the other guy steers out of it. It's not always how you race, but it's the nature of that corner. I've been in the position where you go for it, and it's just the shape of the corner.”