Mexico City: Lando Norris says he knows what to expect from "dangerous” Max Verstappen after his world championship rival was hit with 20 seconds of penalties as the pair came together at the Mexican Grand Prix.
A week on from Norris being demoted behind Verstappen after receiving a penalty for overtaking his rival off the track in Austin, it was the Dutchman who fell foul of the stewards as he drove the McLaren man off the track.
McLaren were unsuccessful in contesting Norris’ penalty earlier this week but it took just 10 laps for the title rivals to clash again at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Norris went round the outside of Verstappen at turn five and was forced wide before the Red Bull driver left the track at turn eight, with the Briton again having to leave the circuit.
The stewards hit Verstappen with two separate 10-second penalties for the two corner incidents, with Norris saying "this guy is dangerous” over the team radio. I don’t think I need to say much. It is pretty self-explanatory on what happened,” Norris said.
Verstappen, the three-time world champion, insists he is more concerned by the lack of pace from his Red Bull car than the penalties he received.
"Yeah, 20 seconds is a lot but I am not going to cry about it and I am also not going to share my opinion,” Verstappen said. "Turn four was more of a question mark, turn eight it is what it is. But that is not my problem, my problem is that we are too slow.” Verstappen continues to believe he is driving the way he needs to, despite his hefty sanction. "I just drive how I think you have to drive. Last week that was alright, this week 20-second penalty,” he added. "It is what it is. Life goes on. I just keep racing.” (PA Media/DPA)