Lando Norris promises fans he’ll do one thing this year as he bids to destroy Max Verstappen

Lando Norris Won’t Hold Back Against Verstappen in Title Fight – But Keeps Their Friendship in Check

Lando Norris has made it clear that he won’t treat Max Verstappen unfairly on track, even as he challenges him for the championship. However, he also downplayed their friendship, stating that while they get along, they are not as close as many assume.

During qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint race, Norris narrowly missed out on pole position, with teammate Oscar Piastri snatching it by just 0.029 seconds. Despite this, McLaren’s strong pace was evident, and Norris will start ahead of Verstappen, who qualified fourth.

McLaren has already confirmed that Norris will be prioritized over Piastri, as the Australian is no longer in championship contention. With Verstappen also facing a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race, Norris sees a major opportunity to close the 47-point gap in the standings, especially with 34 points up for grabs this weekend.

The rivalry between Norris and Verstappen has intensified, particularly after the Mexico City Grand Prix, where Verstappen received a combined 20-second penalty for forcing Norris off the track. Norris admitted that he hasn’t spoken to Verstappen ahead of this weekend’s race and dismissed the idea that they are close friends.

“People think we’re better mates than we actually are,” Norris explained. “I don’t talk to him every day, every week, or even every month. I have my real friends outside of racing. Max is someone I respect and have known for a long time from karting, but on track, it’s different. If someone treats me badly on track, it doesn’t mean I’ll treat them badly off it—they are separate worlds.”

His comments included a subtle dig at Verstappen’s aggressive racing style, which has been under scrutiny recently. But despite his penalties in Mexico, Verstappen has insisted that he won’t change his approach.

Meanwhile, British teenager Ollie Bearman received a surprise call-up for Haas after Kevin Magnussen was ruled out due to illness. Bearman impressed by making it into Q3 but saw his final lap deleted for exceeding track limits. He will start 10th, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who failed to reach the final qualifying phase.

The sprint race in São Paulo takes place at 11 AM local time (2 PM GMT), followed by qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix.