There are multiple jesters in Formula 1, and tons of laughs are shared on and (largely) off the track. This weekend in Portugal, Lando Norris tickled everyone’s funny bone.
Post-race, he was accused by Red Bull of deliberately blocking Max Verstappen during the qualifier. While it looks troubling, it appears both parties have put the incident behind them, and in a rather hilarious manner.
During this week’s McLaren Unboxed, Red Bull crew was filmed on camera throwing a paper plane on Norris. It contained a note saying “Don’t get in our way, again.”
Norris, ever the comedian, wrote back to Verstappen on the same paper “Don’t start the lap so close. Wouldn’t have been pole anyway, he messed up the last sector MUPPET!”
A few days ago, we had seen this paper plane. It was the same one Norris threw up the window of Red Bull’s motor home. McLaren’s social media had covered this incident on their handles. Red Bull saw the funny side of the whole thing.
Everybody may have gone past it, but the incident was heated on Saturday. Verstappen was not impressed with what happened, saying he could have taken pole if it wasn’t for traffic. Red Bull consultant Dr. Helmut Marko was in agreement, saying, “On the second run, Lando Norris got told not to do Max any favours. Very sporting of the Mercedes squad.”
In addition to McLaren emphasizing their radio call had no malicious intent, Norris strongly denied Marko’s claim. He said, “So I tried the best I could to get out of the way from him.
“I didn’t want to impede him or anything like that. But I’ve not heard or seen what’s been said. I didn’t block him or do anything like that. I was never that close.”
It seems the tensions have been buried for now. Maybe laughter really is the best medicine.
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