SAO PAULO, Brazil — Lando Norris said his championship competitor Max Verstappen is aware that he “did wrong” during their tussle at last weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.

Verstappen was penalized twice with 10-second penalties for separate incidents involving Norris, resulting in the three-time champion finishing sixth, while Norris clinched second place, closing their points gap to 47.

Norris, who had to take evasive action twice to avoid a collision, labeled Verstappen’s driving as “dangerous” following the race.

Unlike after the Austrian Grand Prix, where they privately discussed their collision before the next race, Norris mentioned they haven’t spoken about the Mexico incident.

“No, we haven’t spoken. I don’t think we need to. I’ve got nothing to say,” Norris stated.

He added, “I still have a lot of respect for Max and his achievements. Not respect for his actions last weekend, but respect for him as a person and what he’s accomplished.

“But it’s not my role to correct him; I’m not his mentor or teacher.

“Max knows what he needs to do, he knows he did wrong. He feels that deep down, and it’s up to him to make changes, not me.”

Norris acknowledged that, at times, he hasn’t been aggressive enough against Verstappen this season, but his primary goal has always been to avoid collisions and finish races.

“I’ve always aimed to race fairly and cleanly, and sometimes I’ve leaned on the side of kindness, whether attacking or defending,” he reflected. “But I’ve also paid the price at times for not being aggressive enough.”

He emphasized his approach to preserving his car throughout races, noting, “Even if it’s not obvious on TV, there are moments when you avoid potential crashes in the car. I’ve kept the car intact by making those calls, avoiding situations that could have led to issues.”