Jos Verstappen predicts strain on Max and Lando’s friendship
Jos Verstappen has warned that the close friendship between his son Max and McLaren's Lando Norris could face significant challenges next season as their on-track rivalry intensifies.
The warm camaraderie and mutual respect between the two drivers who battled for the world title this season was a refreshing point in this year's fierce campaign.
However, with McLaren emerging back to competitiveness and Norris emerging as a legitimate contender for the world championship, Jos Verstappen believes the dynamics of the sport make it hard for such friendships to endure at the highest level.
The pair's relationship was tested on several occasions in 2024. They collided during the Austrian Grand Prix, an incident that ended Norris' race and allowed George Russell to claim a surprise victory.
Tensions flared again in Austin and in Mexico City, where their wheel-to-wheel skirmishes forced the stewards to intervene.
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The moments underscored the growing rivalry between Verstappen and Norris, particularly as McLaren's new-found strength relative to Red Bull enabled the Briton to mount their first serious challenge for the Drivers' championship.
Looking ahead, Jos Verstappen is predicting more fireworks and that the increasing intensity of their battles will strain their off-track bond.
"It's going to be more difficult, I think. Of course, for a long time it was about the world title that was at stake," Jos told Formule1.nl.
"Max knows that's the case, he's also quite easy-going about it. He knows there's a dividing line between their mutual relationship off the track and on the track. He's very mature about that."
The former F1 driver's comments highlight a larger theme in Formula 1: while drivers can be friendly, genuine friendships are rare, especially when championship glory is on the line.
Jos, who raced in F1 during the 1990s and early 2000s, reflected on the stark differences between his era and today's more sociable paddock.
“If I look at my time in Formula 1, I didn't have any friends," he explained. "At least not in a way that I kept in touch with them afterwards. Not at all. I choose my friends myself.
"I do have the impression that most of the guys who are on the grid now get along well off the track. Most of them have known each other for a long time, from karting.
"There are about ten guys he has always karted with. So they are a bit closer to each other, but everyone has their own life and does their own thing.
"Only, Max is a social guy off the track and is nice and normal to everyone. In my time, the relationships between drivers were quite different.”
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The dynamic between Verstappen and Norris offers a fascinating subplot for the 2025 F1 season. Can their friendship survive another year of fierce competition, or will their rivalry inevitably drive a wedge between them?
As Jos Verstappen's experience suggests, friendships in F1 are often fleeting, especially when championships are at stake.
The sport may have evolved into a more sociable environment, but at its core, Formula 1 remains a battleground where even the strongest bonds can be tested.
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