Max Verstappen Refutes Lando Norris’ Apology Demand as Helmut Marko Admits Red Bull Guilt in Ugly Crash

Red Bull’s home race turned out to be a disaster. Sergio Perez finished P7, unable to pass Nico Hulkenberg, while Max Verstappen lost his lead in a crash with Lando Norris. Norris had a DNF, while Verstappen secured P5. This incident caused a backlash against both Verstappen and Norris. Now, the Dutchman has passively refused to apologize to Norris, with advisor Helmut Marko criticizing Red Bull.

Many believe Max Verstappen was solely at fault, though some think both drivers share the responsibility. Lando Norris insisted that Verstappen must accept his ‘stupidity’ on track. However, Verstappen wants to ‘look at stuff’ and see who’s actually wrong; with Helmut Marko remarking, “But that’s not in the DNA of a Verstappen,” implying that getting an apology from Max is next to impossible.

This behavior shows Max Verstappen returning to his old aggressive form. Red Bull also shared a video on Instagram where Max said: “I honestly think I did leave a car’s width on the white line and you actually [you know] you race hard. I’m not there, to give two cars width because then I know that he’s going to get me on the exit. You race hard for a race win. I think that’s how it should be.” 

Verstappen further added: “As a friend, you never want to touch, you never want to crash, but yeah, it happened today. At the end of the day, it’s part of racing as well, even though it’s not nice.” Now, Max wants to look further before he apologizes. He is using various tactics to avoid saying sorry to Lando Norris.  Amidst the controversy, Dr. Helmut Marko highlighted the team’s flaws, believing Red Bull could have managed the crash and related issues better.

Max Verstappen’s stubborn stance gets a reality check from Helmut Marko’s

Meanwhile, Helmut Marko pointed out Red Bull’s mistake in this ugly crash. He disapproved of their ”unnecessarily ferocious’‘ driving. Marko spoke to Servus TV on this matter, claiming: “Perhaps we should have intervened too. Because we knew that an investigation into Lando regarding track limits was underway, but we still didn’t know if he would be punished.” He further counted the faults that Red Bull made during the race. “Our pit stop went badly, causing Lando to come into DRS range. We expected the hard tires to be the best choice, but that wasn’t the case. Temperatures were lower than expected,” the advisor remarked, adding, “The combination of all these elements made our job difficult.”

As both teams comment, all eyes are now on the drivers. Lando Norris wants an apology from Max Verstappen, a fuming Lando told Sky Italy: “If he [Max] admits that he did something stupid, then I will understand.” The Briton was challenging Verstappen for the lead in the final laps when the incident ruined both their races. Verstappen kept his cool, while Norris was visibly infuriated.

Both drivers have their perspectives: Lando Norris is upset, while Max Verstappen remains composed, opting to analyze before acting. Moreover, Helmut Marko’s critique of Red Bull’s strategy adds to the already ongoing complexities. As both maintain their stances, the F1 community is now anticipating further developments on the matter, acknowledging such incidents have always been a part of the sport’s competitiveness.

What are your thoughts on this unforeseen crash and its aftermath? Share your take in the comments below.