Lando Norris points finger at Max Verstappen for ‘not racing very smart’

Lando Norris has accused Max Verstappen of “ruining his own race” through “not racing very smart” after their latest wheel-to-wheel battle at the F1 Miami Grand Prix.

Norris finished second after battling his way back through from sixth place after losing places at the start when he challenged pole sitter Verstappen for the lead into Turn 1.

The Briton complained that Verstappen had ran him off track but the stewards deemed that the move was fair and opted against taking any action.

Norris and Verstappen had another intense battle as he caught back up to the Red Bull driver on his recovery drive to P2 behind McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

Asked about his battle with Verstappen in the FIA press conference, Norris replied: “It was fine. He’s fighting hard, but it’s up to him to do that.

“He’s ruining his own race. He’s not racing very smart. We probably could have finished 1-2 today, and he didn’t because of that.

“So yeah, he’s fighting, that is always expected, but that’s what it is.”

Norris questioned Verstappen’s racing conduct immediately after Sunday’s race when he spoke in parc ferme.

“What can I say if I don’t go for it, people complain; if I go for it, people complain,” he said.

“So, you can’t win. But it’s really this with Max, you know, it’s, it’s crash or don’t pass. And, you know, unless you get it really right and you put him in the perfect position, then you can just about get there.

“But I paid the price for not doing a good enough job today, but I’m so happy with second.”

Norris has now fallen 16 points behind Piastri in the championship after the opening six rounds.

Piastri’s victory was his third in a row and fourth from six races this season.