Max Verstappen and George Russell’s escalating war of words has lit a firestorm in the Formula 1 world, with drivers, fans, and pundits weighing in on their heated Qatar GP fallout. But it was Lando Norris who fanned the flames with his tongue-in-cheek commentary, ensuring the tension stayed at the forefront of discussions.

Norris was caught up in his fair share of on-track clashes with Verstappen throughout the 2024 season and didn’t hesitate to egg on the drama unfolding between his two friends/rivals.

F1’s latest superstar rivalry

The tension began after Max Verstappen accused George Russell of deliberately pushing for a penalty during qualifying in Qatar, calling him “two-faced” and declaring, “I’ve never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard.” Verstappen’s explosive remarks didn’t sit well with Russell, who hit back with a scathing indictment of Verstappen’s character and conduct.

“I find it all quite ironic,” Russell said, referencing Verstappen’s alleged post-stewards threat to “put me on my f—ing head in the wall.” Russell labeled the comments as “aggressive and violent” and accused Verstappen of bullying behavior that has gone unchecked for years.

Russell didn’t hold back, pointing to Verstappen’s struggles with adversity and his treatment of Red Bull personnel during challenging moments in 2024. “Whenever anything has gone against him — Jeddah ’21, Brazil ’21 — he lashes out,” Russell said. “At Budapest, the very first race where the car wasn’t dominant, he was absolutely slamming his team. And I know for a fact that after that, a quarter of his engineering team were sending their CVs elsewhere.”

As the Verstappen-Russell feud dominated headlines, Lando Norris emerged as an unlikely voice of reason—or chaos, depending on whom you ask. With a wry smile, Norris embraced the drama, jokingly rooting for the spat to continue, “I hope it doesn’t get smoothed out. I hope they stay fighting and arguing, cause it’s amusing to watch.”

His comments resonated with fans who’ve watched the 2024 season unfold as a fiery contest between Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Russell, and others. Comments from fans ranged from “Lando’s just glad he’s out of Max’s crosshairs” to the darkly humorous, “Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made a Great Point.” And Norris was right, the feud didn’t end there.

The British Mercedes driver also criticized Max Verstappen’s lack of respect for those who’ve supported his rise to the top. “I don’t respect someone who doesn’t appreciate the people who’ve given them the platform to perform,” Russell added, citing Zak Brown’s earlier comments about Red Bull staff seeking opportunities with rival teams like McLaren and Aston Martin.

Verstappen, meanwhile, remained unapologetic, doubling down on his accusations and justifying his comments. “No regrets at all,” Verstappen said during the pre-Abu Dhabi press conference. “If I had to do it again, maybe I’d have said even more.” 

The F1 community was pumped to see such a heated exchange between two rivals, with RBR Daily replying to the tweet, saying, “F1 is truly back 😭😅”

Fans react to Norris stoking the flames

Norris’ lighthearted approach may reflect relief at no longer being Max Verstappen’s primary target. Earlier in the season, Norris endured his own battles with the reigning champion where the Brit usually came out much worse off.

One fan commented on the post, “Lando enjoying the drama after having to deal with it all season” with the meme of a girl smiling with a burning building in the background. Emphasizing the heat of the argument as well as the fact that this is all probably Déjà vu for Norris.

The Verstappen-Norris dynamic, particularly their intense and often “over-the-limit” wheel-to-wheel battles in Austria, Mexico, and the USA in the latter half of 2024 has been the defining subplot of the season. Austria saw both Verstappen and Norris push beyond the limit, ending both their races, with Russell there to pick up the pieces for his first win of the season. With Red Bull’s dominance waning and McLaren rising, their rivalry became a focal point, or rather lack thereof despite the perception of Norris having the overall quicker car over the season.

This drew a boatload of criticism for Norris, as he didn’t exactly help his case by giving some rather silly interviews undermining Verstappen’s talent, even if some of his quotes were taken out of context. Some fans saw Norris’ humor as a sign that he’s happy to finally have the spotlight off him, at least for now. To this sentiment, another fan commented, “He’s just happy it’s not him anymore“.

As the Abu Dhabi finale looms, Norris’ playful remarks highlight the growing complexities in Max Verstappen’s relationships with his competitors. Once seen as untouchable, Verstappen now faces a grid unafraid to challenge his dominance.

For now, the Verstappen-Russell saga remains the hottest topic in Formula 1, with no resolution in sight. But if Norris’ wish comes true, the fireworks will keep coming—and fans wouldn’t have it any other way.