One of the most discussed topics of 2024 was the friendship between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, which was “damaged” by their fight for the World Championship. On track, they were often wheel to wheel, with controversial moves, and in post-race interviews, they would throw quite a few jabs at each other. “I lost respect for him,” the Briton even said after the Austrian Grand Prix, the first meeting between the two that went beyond the line. In 2025, there are good chances that they will repeat their duels, so Nico Rosberg wanted to give a valuable piece of advice to the McLaren driver.
“I have some experience in this field, and I know that it’s difficult to stay friends in such situations. Especially when your rival is Max Verstappen, a master at getting the most out of the gray areas. He always manages to stay just within the limit, even though, to be honest, he’s gone out of it a few times recently and has been penalized. When he battles on track, he does it with strength, and I would say that Lando has always lost against him in their direct confrontations; that’s where the Englishman still needs to improve,” explained the 2016 champion on the Sky Sports podcast.
Nico Rosberg also highlighted the “threat” of Oscar Piastri, who has already made his presence felt in his teammate’s mirrors this season. “Lando won’t forget about Piastri either. If they fight for the Drivers’ Championship next year, there will be so many moments when they face off, and it’s difficult to keep civil relationships in those situations. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz managed to stay friends while fighting for the Constructors, but when the Drivers’ title is on the line, everything changes, it’s like night and day. Only then do relationships get tested.”
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