Lando Norris has rejected the notion that his friendship with Max Verstappen hinders his ability to compete against the Red Bull driver, asserting that once he puts on his helmet, he “hates everyone.”
As both drivers vie for the F1 championship, tensions are rising, and the competition could intensify in the upcoming Abu Dhabi race. With six rounds left in the season, including three sprint weekends, there’s a 52-point gap between them. Earlier in the season, some speculated that their relationship might pose a challenge for Norris during a championship fight.
This season marks Norris’s first time contending at the front in F1, while Verstappen has considerably more experience in that arena. Following their collision at the Austrian Grand Prix, Norris had some harsh words about the incident but later softened his remarks during media day at the British Grand Prix. This led some to wonder if he had inadvertently given Verstappen a psychological edge.
However, Norris has since proven himself by directly beating Verstappen in the Dutch and Singapore Grands Prix. He firmly believes that his friendship with Verstappen does not alter his competitive mindset, emphasizing that his attitude towards his rivals remains the same once he’s in the car.
“As soon as I put the helmet on, I hate everyone. That doesn’t change,” the 24-year-old told The Athletic. “A lot of people think because I get along with someone or play video games with them, that you’re best mates outside of racing, which is nonsense. We have similar interests and do things together, like padel, and I think Max is a genuine guy. But that doesn’t change anything on the track.”
Interestingly, all three of Norris’s career victories have come while Verstappen finished second. In two of those wins, Norris finished over 20 seconds ahead, partly due to the MCL38’s superiority over the RB20. He has shown he’s ready to battle the three-time F1 champion.
Norris believes his friendship with Verstappen fuels his desire to win even more, contrary to popular belief. “I think the people you get along with off the track are the ones you want to beat the most on the track. That’s the opposite of what many people think,” he explained. “They believe being friends means being too nice in competition, but I think it’s the complete opposite.”