Norris Urged to Stand His Ground Against Verstappen Followings…read more
Former Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has offered some pointed advice to McLaren driver Lando Norris amid rising on-track tensions with reigning world champion Max Verstappen. Steiner’s comments come in the wake of a controversial incident at the Miami Grand Prix, where Norris lost several positions following a close battle with Verstappen at the start of the race.
In the first corner of the opening lap, Verstappen held a slight positional edge over Norris, allowing him to push the McLaren driver wide without receiving a penalty from race stewards. As a result, Norris, who had started in second, fell down to sixth place. Despite the early setback, Norris delivered a strong recovery drive and ultimately finished the race in second. However, the incident reignited discussion around Norris’ racing style, particularly in wheel-to-wheel scenarios with aggressive rivals like Verstappen.
Steiner, speaking on the Red Flags podcast, suggested that Norris must begin asserting himself more firmly during such confrontations, even if doing so increases the risk of contact. He pointed out that while Norris has proven his speed and racecraft, his tendency to back off in tight battles has cost him valuable results, especially against opponents who are known for their uncompromising approach, like Verstappen.
“He needs to believe in himself and stop worrying too much about how others race him,” Steiner remarked. “At some stage, there’s going to be a crash with Max—it’s almost inevitable if he holds his ground. But that’s part of racing at the top. If you’re always the one who yields, you’ll keep getting the short end of the stick.”
Steiner acknowledged that Norris’ clean and respectful driving style has earned him admiration, but he emphasized that to win consistently at the highest level, especially against a driver of Verstappen’s caliber, Norris must learn to push back harder. He encouraged the young Brit to block out external criticism and trust his instincts behind the wheel.
The Miami incident is just the latest example in a growing list of occasions where Norris has been seen as too passive during crucial moments. While his performances have improved notably over the past year, with McLaren becoming increasingly competitive, Steiner’s comments highlight the mental and strategic evolution that Norris may need to undergo to fully challenge for wins and, eventually, the championship.
In short, Steiner is urging Norris to embrace a more aggressive mindset, suggesting that only by standing firm—regardless of the consequences—can he earn the respect of his fiercest rivals and position himself as a true title contender.
