Why Norris must fight Verstappen harder if he’s going to break his F1 win duck

OPINION: Lando Norris brilliantly led the early stages of the United States Grand Prix at Austin, before being passed by Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. His manner of defending was different in each battle, which demonstrated a trait he should surely revisit if he’s ever taking on Verstappen for regular Formula 1 race wins

Author Alex Kalinauckas

Updated Oct 25, 2023, 10:14 AM

Can racing drivers ever truly be good friends?

There’s so much on the line. Points, glory, money. Futures. Whatever happens, finishing in front of your team-mate is the first goal. But how to avoid things getting sour in a battle to be the best?

Lando Norris knows quite a bit about this. His friendship with Carlos Sainz, which endures even as they race now for McLaren and Ferrari respectively, was one of the defining features on his first years racing in Formula 1. They’re not alone in being close. Of the current crop, look and George Russell and Alex Albon. Or Daniel Ricciardo and anyone.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.