“He’s not driving very intelligently”: Lando Norris attacks Verstappen after brutal Miami GP battle – The 2025 Miami Grand Prix was a race that didn’t just provide high drama on the tarmac, but also exposed some uncomfortable truths for top drivers like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. As the sun set over the streets of Miami, the picture that emerged was as sharp as the skyline: Verstappen remains a ruthless competitor unafraid to toe the line, Oscar Piastri has found his calm confidence under pressure and Lando Norris – despite having one of the fastest cars on the grid – continues to struggle with execution in the heat of battle.
Norris’ frustration boiled over after the race, after a series of missed overtakes and costly strategic errors saw him finish behind his own team-mate. His stinging comment about Verstappen – “He’s not driving very smart” – captured the tension and simmering rivalry that now defines the early months of the 2025 season.
Verstappen vs. Norris: Another chapter in a growing rivalry
The first half of the Miami Grand Prix saw Lando Norris once again falter in a head-to-head battle with Max Verstappen, now a four-time world champion. The duel came to a head in Turn 2, where Norris tried to pass on the outside only to be forced off the track. As always with Verstappen, the message was clear: take the run-off or risk a crash.
Unwilling to jeopardise his title challenge, Norris chose the safer option – but it cost him dearly. The McLaren man lost several positions, handing the advantage not only to Verstappen, but ultimately to his own team-mate Oscar Piastri, who would go on to win the race.
In contrast to Norris’ failed attempts, Piastri’s calm and calculated move on Verstappen underlined the widening gap in driving skills between the two McLaren drivers. Norris’ final pass on Verstappen did not come until lap 18, and even then it was not the result of an overtaking masterstroke, but because Verstappen backed off when Andrea Kimi Antonelli was dangerously close behind.
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Ralf Schumacher: “Norris has lost his edge”
Among the critics was former F1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Ralf Schumacher, who didn’t hold back in his post-race assessment. “I don’t know what’s happened to Norris,” said Schumacher. “He used to be so confident and aggressive in karting and in the junior categories. That seems to have gone. Maybe he’s overthinking things. Maybe he’s just too focused on not losing points.
Schumacher’s wider criticism wasn’t just about Norris’ performance in Miami. He warned of a dangerous trend in the Briton’s development. “If he doesn’t sort this out soon, he will lose his reputation. Drivers will stop respecting him. And that’s a big problem in this sport. Piastri managed to force Max into a mistake. Norris couldn’t”.
The idea that Norris is caught between cautious conservatism and desperate over-aggressiveness was echoed again when Schumacher criticised his early move at the start. “That attack in Turn 1 was hopeless. He should’ve backed off. He had a superior car – just get behind Max and bide your time. Instead he lost four places. If he’d played it smart, I think he would have won the race.
Norris hits back: “If I don’t try, they complain”.
The criticism hit a nerve. Visibly irritated after the race, Norris vented his frustration at the double standard he feels he’s being held to.
“If I don’t try, people complain. If I try and it doesn’t work, they complain too,” he said. “But that’s the way it is with Max. You have two options – crash or don’t overtake. And I’m not going to crash into someone just to prove a point.
His frustration extended to Verstappen’s dogged defence of second place, even after Piastri had moved ahead. Norris felt Verstappen had little to gain from the prolonged defence and even less to lose by letting him through earlier.
“He ruined his own race,” Norris said pointedly. “He’s not driving very cleverly. But he’s fighting, as you’d expect. It’s always like that with Max. If you’re not perfect, you get nothing. And I paid for it today.
Piastri outshines everyone again
While the tension between Verstappen and Norris grabbed the headlines, Oscar Piastri once again showed why he is fast becoming a real title threat in 2025. Not only did the Australian take the win in Miami, but he did so with a polished performance marked by sharp strategic thinking and flawless execution.
His pass to Verstappen was a study in patience. Approaching the Red Bull driver in a heavy braking zone, Piastri decided not to risk an outside move. Instead, he feigned an attack, forcing Verstappen to brake late and wide, and calmly slipped inside to take the lead.
“I knew we were quicker,” said Piastri. “It was just about timing. I didn’t want to just pass Max – I wanted to do it cleanly, efficiently and make sure he didn’t get a second chance.
He added with quiet confidence: “I chose my moment. You know it’s going to be tough with Max. But I got it right the first time because I knew Lando was coming. It had to be perfect.
Muted celebration, simmering frustration
Although Norris eventually overtook Verstappen, the mood in his camp was anything but celebratory. His answers in the post-race interviews were terse, bordering on the curt. Asked if Verstappen’s early manoeuvre had crossed a line, he simply said: “That’s not my decision.”
Asked what he could learn from Piastri’s successful overtake of Verstappen, Norris deadpanned: “Oscar overtook him and I overtook him.” The Sky Sports interviewer pressed again, asking if that meant Verstappen could be overtaken. Norris replied dryly: “It depends on how much he wants to fight. He can do what he wants anyway. A pause, then an awkward half-smile. “No, I’m just saying that for the interview.”
Clearly, the psychological toll of the situation is mounting.
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Verstappen is unfazed: “I had nothing to lose”
In stark contrast to Norris’ anxiety, Verstappen played the role of the carefree antagonist. Fresh from the birth of his first child, the Dutchman approached the weekend in Miami with uncharacteristic ease.
“I had nothing to lose,” said Verstappen after the race. “I just wanted to go out there and have a bit of fun.”
Asked about his early defence against Norris, he pointed to updated FIA regulations that now set clearer boundaries for wheel-to-wheel racing: “Since the last race it’s much clearer what’s allowed and what’s not. I just stick to the rules. Personally, I prefer things to be a bit more natural. But I play within the rules”.
The stewards agreed. The first lap contact with Norris wasn’t even deemed worthy of investigation.
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What Miami told us about the season ahead
Five races into the 2025 Formula One season, patterns are beginning to emerge. Max Verstappen remains a master of racing and mental warfare, able to dictate terms in duels by sheer force of reputation. Oscar Piastri is rapidly growing into his role as a title contender, cool under pressure and increasingly decisive in battle. And Lando Norris – despite finally having a championship-worthy McLaren – is still struggling to turn speed into dominance.
The European leg of the calendar now looms large. These are circuits where Norris has traditionally performed well. If he is to mount a serious challenge for the title, the next few races will need to show not just speed, but tactical finesse and resilience under pressure. After all, as Miami proved, pace alone won’t be enough when Verstappen is on track and Piastri is at his best.
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Speaking after another Verstappen pole position, a visibly disappointed Andreas Stella went on to claim that he believes the RB21 is a better car than most people believe. Max is the first driver to rack up three GP pole positions this year, pipping Lando Norris in Japan and Miami and Oscar Piastri in Jeddah.
McLaren’s ‘cool’ Aussie driver leads the world championship from his team mate by nine points, but Verstappen lurks not far behind despite a disappointing Sprint race result which saw him handed a time penalty and with the mini race finishing behind the safety car, Verstappen’s fourth on the road quickly became seventeenth when the ten second time penalty was applied…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY
The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Can the F1 stewards explain why it is that whenever Max Verstappen forces someone off the track it’s called hard racing /a racing incident, yet when anyone else does the same thing they have to give the place back or are given a penalty for forcing another driver off the track or not leaving a cars width. Can we have a clearer explanation of the rules and can we see them applied to all drivers in future.