Lando Norris didn’t mince words after clashing with Max Verstappen on the opening lap of the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, branding the Red Bull star’s defensive approach as “not racing very smart” and accusing him of damaging his own race in the process.
The two drivers went wheel-to-wheel on Lap 1 in a battle that quickly turned costly. Norris was forced off track and dropped to sixth, while Verstappen, who started on pole, never fully recovered and eventually crossed the line a distant fourth — nearly 40 seconds behind Miami race winner Oscar Piastri.
“[Max was] fighting hard. It’s up to him to do that,” Norris told the press, including Total-Motorsport.com, post-race. “He’s ruined his own race. He’s not racing very smart.”
The incident wasn’t investigated by the stewards, but it shaped the early rhythm of the race and left both contenders with damage control missions. Norris, driving for McLaren, showed resilience by fighting back through the field to finish second, only a few seconds behind his teammate.
Norris left frustrated by missed opportunity
The clash wasn’t the only source of frustration for Norris, who believed he had a genuine chance to challenge for the win had he not been delayed early on. After clearing Verstappen mid-race — in another close-quarters move that saw both cars briefly leave the track — Norris set his sights on Piastri and began closing the gap.
“I gave it a good shot when I got into second place and there was a long way to go, I think still 25 or 30 laps at that point,” Norris added. “I only probably stopped pushing really in the last four or five laps but the gap went from like almost 10 to four or three almost, so I did all I could.”
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Despite giving chase, Norris conceded that catching his teammate outright was always going to be a tall order: “I tried the whole race until the very end so I kept belief during the whole race, but Oscar’s driving… He’s quick to catch but it was always pretty much going to be impossible, but I gave it a good shot. I almost got there, just not enough laps.”
The result leaves Norris second in the drivers’ standings, now 16 points behind Oscar Piastri, who took his third straight win. Verstappen, meanwhile, dropped further adrift after a race that highlighted McLaren’s growing superiority and mounting frustration within the Red Bull camp.
