Verstappen Offers Norris Advice After Costly DNF

Lando Norris's recent Did Not Finish (DNF) has significant championship implications, prompting advice from Max Verstappen, who has faced similar setbacks in his own career.

Why it Matters

A DNF can critically derail a title bid, especially in a competitive season like the current one. Verstappen's insights offer a perspective on the mental and strategic challenges involved in overcoming such blows.

The Context

• Norris's retirement impacts his championship aspirations, adding pressure as the season progresses.
• Verstappen himself experienced potential title-derailing incidents in 2021 (Silverstone, Baku, Monza) and a DNF in Australia in 2022, which he initially considered a severe setback.
• McLaren has significantly closed the technical gap with Red Bull, making the competition at the front even fiercer, with Norris even making attempts to challenge Verstappen for the Drivers' Championship in 2023.

Verstappen's Counsel

Speaking after the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen shared his perspective on Norris's DNF, offering both advice and a unique insight into the challenge of competing as teammates:

• "I mean, it’s out of your control. So, you just need to keep working hard, keep trying to win. As simple as that."
• He highlighted the added complexity of competing against a teammate: "Especially when you are team-mates, you have the same car, same opportunities. It’s probably a little bit more complicated than when it’s two different teams."
• "But still a lot of races and you can see things can swing. Like Oscar [Piastri] said, you don’t know if you get a mechanical failure or not, it’s out of your control."
• "So yes, it’s not ideal, but there are enough races to either turn it around or not, and time will tell."

What's Next

Norris's resilience and ability to bounce back will be crucial as he navigates the remainder of the season, aiming to maintain his championship challenge against formidable rivals.