Max Verstappen says he holds no hard feelings toward Lando Norris after the McLaren driver retracted a controversial comment made during their intense 2024 title battle.
After Verstappen's incredible charge through the field to win the Brazilian GP in challenging conditions, Norris suggested the victory was more about "luck" than "talent." However, at the FIA prize-giving event in Rwanda, where Norris collected his runner-up trophy, he clarified his remarks.
"First of all," Norris said, "I retract that comment back there—where I said it was all luck, no talent."
Speaking to Viaplay, Verstappen dismissed the need for the retraction, attributing Norris' comment to the heat of the moment.
"I know Lando," said the four-time world champion. "At a moment like that, he is very disappointed and then you immediately have a microphone underneath your mouth and a camera in front of you.
"I know that Lando is simply a good person, and he doesn't mean it at a moment like that. You answer like that because you're frustrated. I don't take that very seriously."
Verstappen acknowledged that the result in Brazil, which effectively sealed his title, was a difficult moment for Norris.
"It was a mental blow for him," he said. "He could have taken the championship to his advantage, but it was turned around."
The Dutch driver also addressed another incident from earlier in the season when Norris echoed Verstappen's iconic phrase, 'Simply lovely!', after winning the Dutch GP. Verstappen took the gesture in stride.
"You have to take that as a compliment, don't you?" he said. "If you copy someone, you compliment them.
"I wouldn't do that myself, but I think they were very consciously thinking about it—'We have to beat him in Zandvoort, with the mental pressure.' That kind of thing."
However, Verstappen maintained that he wasn't rattled by the antics.
"I don't care about any of that. I'm not sensitive to that," he insisted. "I was just disappointed with the race, because we just came up short. Of course I'd rather win in Zandvoort, but mentally it doesn't matter to me."
