Lando Norris and Max Verstappen’s Duel In Austin | Extended Battles

- Speaker A and Speaker B are watching the race between Lando Norris and Verstappen. Speaker B thinks VerStappen is winning a psychological battle. Speaker A disagrees. - The US Grand Prix is underway, with Max Verstappen, the leader by 54 points, and Lando Norris trying to overturn the largest points deficit in the history of the world championship. - Max Verstappen has a title advantage of 54 points over Lando Norris with five laps to go in the US Grand Prix. The two contenders are still attacking each other. - Max Verstappen takes the podium after Lando Norris was penalised for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Norris will expect a penalty for his title rival. - Max Verstappen won the race and extends the advantage over Lando Norris in the world championship to 297 points. He tells Speaker A that it's important to finish in front of Lando.

Speaker A: Lando Norris going through on the brakes, or can Verstappen hang onto it? He keeps his foot in. They both go off the road.

Speaker B: Think goes ahead of the apex. Let me know if you think otherwise. He needs to get me back.

Speaker A: This is more than just the numbers, this is momentum. This is winning a psychological battle that would be so important to him. The top two drivers in the Formula one world championship are Max Verstappen, the leader by 54 points, and Lando Norris trying to overturn the largest points deficit in the entire history of the world championship started in 1950. That is where we are starting the Grand Prix today. Verstappen went very, very defensive yesterday, maybe overly defensive, into turn number one. If it's in his head to stop it happening, it will definitely be in his head to lunge to the apex. And the US Grand Prix is underway. Max Verstappen's going to give himself an opportunity into turn number, but Lando Norris is chopping across. There's the late lunge that Max Verstappen was looking for. But he says Lando Norris wide. And through goes the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, first and second, battling each other. And they open the door for the driver in the scarlet car. He rolls through up three places to take the lead of this one. Lando Norris got a decent launch, but we wondered whether Max Verstappen was going to make that lunge, come what may. Here was the answer.

Speaker C: I mean, you never really have to wonder with Max, do you? He's going for it. But it was that strong start from Leclerc that got him on the inside of Carlos going into turn one.

Speaker D: And Lando, we've reported the incident in turn one. Any thoughts from your side?

Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, he's clearly pushed me out. He had no intent to make the corner even. He ran off the track, so I just had to avoid crashing into him. Or him crashing into me. But, yeah.

Speaker D: Yeah, I think it's pretty much what we expected prior to the race.

Speaker B: Yeah. The thing is, he overtook me by going in so hard that he went off the track. Same as Budapest. Just identical.

Speaker A: There is a tire offset for Lando Norris, but he will not gain track position over Max Verstappen. That 2.2 2nd stop is exactly what he needed, though everything is vital at this stage. As for stappen, it goes back past his rival for the title. They're fourth and fifth at the moment.

Speaker E: Go back to Hippo. Russell still out on his hard time, which he started with lap 32. He managed a 39.5 so it looks good. Last lap. Leclerc 390. Carlos 38. Seven. Atlanto behind, 38.6.

Speaker B: These tyres is not good.

Speaker F: I can't break, I can't attack anything.

Speaker D: And I know Max is complaining a lot about the tyre. When we catch him, which we will, we just want to make sure we've got tyre to be able to attack him. Just be careful on the exit. Look after the rears.

Speaker E: Main deficits on the last lapmax were turns one, eight, 1815 and 20.

Speaker D: Suggest early push and hold.

Speaker E: That's 0.5. Cancel the clip if you want to.

Speaker A: Lando Norris has a big opportunity here. He's currently losing points to Max Verstappen in the championship. Looking to change all of that. The top two contenders for the championship of the world. Onto the back straight at Kota. Looking for the move. The british driver trying to go past. How defensive will Max Verstappen go? How defensive can Max Verstappen go? As we go into the breaking zone of turn number two, Norris trying to go around the outside is the room. Look now, not from turn twelve, but to turn 15. Is there a moment for the McLaren to use the traction? Trying the long way round. There will be no route through, but the up and under might produce itself. This is going to be so fast. Side by side at speed. Verstappen's just got enough for the moment. Norris not able to force Verstappen off the racing line. He's still ahead. And this battle continues.

Speaker E: Okay, 0.5. Last lap it was four five.

Speaker A: How close can the McLaren man get on the brakes when it matters, when the world championship is up for grabs here? Is there an opportunity this time? No. Is there a chance to force him off the racing line? Slightly deep for Verstappen. A little bit more speed through that corner for Lando Norris. But another opportunity goes by. Can he dive to the inside to try and get that opportunistic move at 15? Not that time. Good lap. Good lap for Max Verstappen. And every lap he can make Norris run in the dirty air will be damaging his tires. At 0.3, Norris goes again.

Speaker C: Lining him up again. He is, oh, so close. Big defensive move from Verstappen into one. Is this going to allow Norris to get the drive off? Very hard to get it done. Into three. Lighting up the rear tires, leaving some skid marks.

Speaker A: It's on the edge. We aren't into the full brinkmanship yet.

Speaker E: 0.4.

Speaker A: Another chance. It's lap 50 of 56. We head to turn number one. Lando Norris was thinking about that move to the inside and he ducked back in. They both go past the salva push and hold.

Speaker D: Still available.

Speaker A: He hasn't won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix, but he's got a title advantage of 54 points over Lando Norris. He's trying to extend it further by three points. And this is more than just the numbers. This is momentum. This is winning a psychological battle that would be so important to him. The momentum of the McLaren has been interrupted. Is there a second wind for Lando Norris to force his way by?

Speaker E: And 0.4 overtech still available.

Speaker A: Here we go. This is it for Lando Norris. It's a wide line that gives initial momentum for Max Verstappen, but he is gaining and gaining and gaining. How brave can he be? In the breaking zone of turn twelve. This is the best opportunity he's had since lap number one to take the place. He puts the car on the outside line, tries to duck back through. It's not done yet. Verstappen knew it. Held onto the inside line. And now off the racing line that he wants to be, there's an opportunity. The two contenders again separated by hardly anything traction race could favour the McLaren still, it's side by side, or very close to it. But still it's Verstappen ahead with five laps to go in the US Grand Prix.

Speaker E: 0.4 and five laps remaining.

Speaker C: Max ten out of ten on execution. He's not made a mistake, not one wheel wrong, to give Lando the opportunity to make that move. Lando doing everything he can, but Max doing everything he needs to. Does Lando have a shot here? Into one defense for Max. Blocking a little bit.

Speaker A: Big defense from Max Verstappen. And he knows that he's having to use more of the tyre than he wants to, more of the road than he wants to.

Speaker E: 0.2.

Speaker A: Norris is close once again.

Speaker C: Closer by a long shot. That was a great run off of eleven. It's so tempting as a driver to get to the throttle too soon, light up the rear tires, but he's got it now.

Speaker A: Max Verstappen on the defensive. Lando Norris on the attack. Lando Norris going through on the brakes. Or can Verstappen hang onto it? He keeps his foot in. They both go off the road. Norris moves ahead for the first time since lap number one. But he did so with all four wheels off the road. That one surely will not count. He will surely have to give the place back.

Speaker C: Is the argument that Max forced him off the road? Though.

Speaker B: He'S getting it back.

Speaker C: Very matter of fact, first app, and I'm sure Lando's going to say, hey, he forced me off the track. We've seen both of those called already. It'll be interesting to see which way the FIA looks at this and the stewards want to address it.

Speaker A: I can't imagine McLaren will let the risk of a penalty hang over Lando Norris head.

Speaker B: Think I was ahead of the apex? Let me know if you think otherwise.

Speaker D: We think you are ahead of Apex.

Speaker A: McLaren are going to risk the penalty. They're still attacking each other. McLaren are risking a five second penalty. They've elected to keep track position. Every single time we've seen a driver off the road like that all the way through this grand Prix. And this weekend, it's resulted in a drop. But Norris gets. Bye.

Speaker E: We are on it, Max. We know. And we've also seen the moving underbraking at one.

Speaker D: So our opinion is you were ahead of Apex. Both cars went off tracks.

Speaker B: Yeah, he also went off. So it was clear.

Speaker D: And Lando, so we've had our third strike. Track limits, which I know you'll know. So no more track limits. No more.

Speaker A: Did Lando Norris get ahead on the braking zone? Was he forced off the road?

Speaker C: No. And yes, he was definitely not ahead at the apex. But, I mean, with where Max's car was, he had really no chance but to go wide. Whether or not it's worth just taking that risk. This is tenths with three laps to go. If that judgment comes from the stewards, that's going to be devastating for Lando.

Speaker A: Lando Norris had an opportunity. The stewards have told us. Norris and Verstappen have been noted.

Speaker E: The stewards are looking at it.

Speaker B: Max Piastri behind me.

Speaker E: So Piastri at 3 seconds. Three qualifying laps, please, Max. From here, three qualifying laps.

Speaker A: McLaren did not tell their driver to give the place back. It is lap 55 of 56. It's a Ferrari one two. Norris has track position, but investigations hovering over his head. Verstappen is in fourth, but will expect a penalty for his title rival ahead.

Speaker B: And it won't be.

Speaker E: Okay, that's fully open, Max. Keep pushing, Max.

Speaker A: Lando Norris has a penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. He is 3.3 seconds ahead of Verstappen. It will not be enough. It was all about Max with the sprint. Lando took the pole. Lando's got a penalty.

Speaker E: So captain Norris, 3.8. He has been given a five second penalty. Keep pushing.

Speaker A: It's 4 seconds, third on the road, but with a penalty applied, it will be fourth position. Ferlando Norris. Max Verstappen takes points out of his title rival. The swing goes the other way. Verstappen stays ahead on the timing page. Norris pushed for all he's worth. He missed out by nine tenths of a second.

Speaker E: Great job. Drove like a lion. And you got a podium. Hold up, mate.

Speaker B: I have no front. There's no room.

Speaker A: Well, I.

Speaker G: Mate, you drove hard for that. You drove hard for that. We weren't as competitive as we should have been in the second stint, but you deserve that podium today.

Speaker B: Ah, my God.

Speaker F: That was a heart race.

Speaker E: Like I say, he drove like a line. Nice job.

Speaker F: Yeah, I tried everything with the defending, at least. That was fun. Just a bit weird that you can overtake outside the track.

Speaker E: Well, you can't. And the Fii put that right. So there you go.

Speaker G: That's all right. Points wise this weekend, Max, you've done what you needed to do, I guess.

Speaker B: I got a five second penalty.

Speaker D: Yeah, they gave you 5 seconds just out there there. For leaving a track, gaining an advantageous not sure what.

Speaker B: Yeah, well, then lunch should have just gone back behind him, shouldn't I?

Speaker A: And the question that hung in the air was, would there be a penalty? There was. And the question then evolves into, why did McLaren take that risk?

Speaker C: That's just it. I mean, the camera angle that we saw, it was pretty clear Max was ahead. And as you mentioned, any car that had done that so far in this grand Prix had received the penalty.

Speaker H: Clearly, I didn't give the position back because we thought we were in the right. Clearly we won. I still think we were considering Max went off the track. Normally if you defend your position and you go off the track, you have to give the position up. In that case, I was ahead. I kept my position because he needed to give it back. That's the way it is. I think I did the correct thing, but I don't make the rules. Max drove well. It was a fun race between us. Good battle, and, yeah, he defended well. He did everything he had to do. So we struggled as a team. I didn't do a great job and, yeah, both are not what we need right now, so we'll both try better next time.

Speaker F: I think overall, yeah, it was quite a tough race. I didn't expect it to be that tough, but, yeah, we just struggled a bit more on the tires. Yeah, I just couldn't really attack compared to yesterday. And, yeah, we were just lacking a bit of pace, but I think overall, we just did the best we could. We managed it till the end. Some good battles with Lando out there, you know, hard battles, but fair, and it definitely was a lot of fun.

Speaker A: How significant is it for you to be making sure you're just, generally speaking, always finishing in front of Lando?

Speaker F: Well, that was definitely a positive weekend, of course, but still quite a few points that we need to collect and. But, yeah, of course, very happy to at least extend it now for once. Compared to the last few weekends, it.

Speaker A: Was a great battle between the top two in the world championship, but it was resolved in Max Verstappen's favor. 354 points to his name, extending that advantage over Lando Norris. He's on 297.