– Is Max Verstappen really losing interest in Formula 1 and leaving the premier class in the near future? While this scenario has been repeatedly speculated about recently, Lando Norris believes that Verstappen’s criticism of Formula 1 should not be overemphasized.
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“He said he wants to get his fifth world title, so I’m sure he’ll stay longer than people say,” said the world champion, who also clarifies: “Max has earned the right to do whatever he wants.”
The four-time Formula 1 champion “escapes” more and more often into GT sport outside of Formula 1 and will participate in the Nürburgring 24-hour race for the first time this year. According to Norris, however, this does not mean that Verstappen will completely turn his back on the premier class.
“He has always been very open about what he thinks, whether you agree with him or not, or whether you should say it or not. He is just himself, and I think that’s a very good way to live your life,” explains Norris.
Accordingly, Verstappen also didn’t mince words this year when he, for example, called the new rules a “joke” or explained that people who liked the previous races this season had no idea about racing.
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However, Norris does not believe that Verstappen will hastily throw everything away. “It would be a shame for the sport, it would be a great loss for the sport if that were to actually happen. Because he is probably one of the best drivers you have ever seen in Formula 1,” he emphasizes.
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And according to Norris, it would also be a shame for the other drivers, “because even if he sometimes makes life incredibly difficult for us, it’s always great fun to race against him, and it’s always cool to race against someone who has won four world championships.”
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“You always want to compete against the best in the world, and he is undoubtedly one of them,” says Norris. Teammate Oscar Piastri sees it similarly and explains: “It would be a shame for the sport to lose Max, especially at this point in his career. It would be a great loss for the sport as a whole.”
“We drivers want to compete against the best and try to prove ourselves against the best. Max has proven his skill over the last ten years, and I think especially in the last five or six years he has been the benchmark,” says Piastri.
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“It would be quite a shame for everyone and would certainly not make a good impression,” emphasizes the Australian. Because for Formula 1 itself, it would not be a good sign to lose one of its best drivers. According to Lando Norris, however, that won’t happen anytime soon anyway.
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