'Petulant' move proves 'Mad Max' hasn't changed

Max Verstappen's collision with Lando Norris was more than just a coming together between two rivals fighting over the same piece of real estate.

The pair are right now without doubt the form drivers on the F1 grid. They've been mates off-track for many years, but increasingly frequent on-track battles this season have tested the friendship.

It surely ended though on lap 64 of the Austrian Grand Prix in a cloud of carbon fibre and tyre smoke, with an added tinge of red mist.

The superiority of Verstappen and the Red Bull since the start of 2022 means it's been three years without much in the way of on-track dust-ups. Such has been the level of domination, he's rarely engaged in any genuine wheel-to-wheel scraps.

So, this collision not only marked a flashpoint in the development of a genuine on-track rivalry, but also served a reminder the old Max Verstappen – who was ruthless and so unwilling to cede position it was almost dangerous – is still in him.

Verstappen ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Don't move

With seven laps to go, and after two earlier attempts, Norris threw a beautiful dummy when he looked to the inside and drew Verstappen to cover.

He then moved to the outside – the racing line. Unwilling to give up track position, Verstappen squeezed him under braking and they touched.

It immediately plucked Verstappen's left rear tyre off the rim, and also caused a right-rear puncture on Norris' car.

To make the incident even worse was Max' petulance in trying to block Norris from passing him down the next straight. Despite a clear puncture, Verstappen forced Norris onto the grass as they began limping back to the pits.

While Verstappen was able to fit a fresh set of tyres, Norris was out of the race.

In defending each of Norris' earlier moves, the Dutchman had moved under braking. The Brit was irate, and on team radio accused Verstappen of dangerous driving.

"There's a rule," Norris later told Sky Sports.

"You're not allowed to react to the other drivers. That's what he did three times out of three.

"Two times I managed to avoid it and not lock up and run into him, and the third time he just ran into me.

"I'm just trying to drive my race. He was clearly a lot slower in the end. He ruined his own race just as much as he ruined mine.

"I looked forward to just a fair battle – a strong, fair battle. I wouldn't say that's what it was in the end."

It's happened before

Changing directions or moving under brakes is dangerous because a driver already on the brakes has little ability to avoid a crash if the driver in front of them decides to move.

Once a gentleman's agreement, it was eventually written in black and white and even given the nickname the Verstappen rule because of how often the Dutchman did it early in his career.

Arguably the Dutchman's most famous case of moving under braking came in the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Australians will remember it well.

Then-Red Bull teammates, Daniel Ricciardo was making a move down the inside when Verstappen moved over to block. The move took all the air off Ricciardo's front wing, which reduced grip, caused a brake lock up, next thing both drivers were off the track.

Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for the clash in Austria, but it was a pittance.

While Norris was forced to retire from the race, Verstappen was able to fit a new set of tyres and reach the finish in fifth place. He crossed the line so far ahead of sixth-placed Nico Hulkenberg the penalty changed nothing.

He also had two penalty points added to his licence – accruing 12 in a 12-month period earns the driver a one-race ban. Verstappen currently has four, of which two will expire in November. Kevin Magnussen has the most on the current grid with 10.

It should be noted Norris was penalised, too. He was given a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits too often. Drivers are given three strikes before they're issued a warning. Do it again, and they'll be pinged.

At least two of Norris' strikes came in the battle with Verstappen. Given he didn't finish the race, the penalty has no effect.

'I know best'

The chequered flag marked the end of the race but also the beginning of the finger pointing - albeit fingers that weren't attached to Red Bull personnel were all pointed in the one direction.

"If he says he did nothing wrong, then I'd lose a lot of respect for that," Norris said.

"If he admits to being a bit stupid and running into me and just being a bit reckless in a way, then I'd have a small amount of respect for him."

If Norris is waiting for an apology, he might be waiting a while.

"Of course from the outside it's hard to see when I brake," Verstappen said in his own interview with Sky Sports.

"I know of course in the past that's always been a bit of a complaint, but now I always move my wheel before I brake, and then you brake in a straight line.

"It's always easy to say from the outside that I'm moving under braking, but I think the guy in the car knows best what he's doing.

"Everyone can have their own opinion, but I'm the one driving, so I think I'm best in control.

"Everyone can have their own opinion. From the outside it's easy to judge and comment, but whatever, it's what happens."

He was also unhappy with with the moves Norris pulled.

"I felt like sometimes his dive-bombs – he's so late on the brakes," he said.

"One time he went straight, I one time had to go around the (kerb), otherwise we would've touched.

"It is what it is. It's just never nice to come together.

"I need to look back at why or how we touched. Of course we'll talk about it. It's just unfortunate that it happened."

Verstappen had spent three years trying to expunge his reputation as being a dirty driver, but it only takes one for it to come right back.

Their battle will resume at this weekend's British Grand Prix, Norris and his McLaren team's home race.