Max Verstappen's true colours, Lando Norris relationship denial, huge £192,000 wager

Max Verstappen and ' friendship is becoming increasingly puzzling with each passing day. The Dutchman, a three-time title holder, and the McLaren prodigy have known each other since their karting days, and it's clear they share a mutual respect.

However, their off-track camaraderie has been somewhat marred as the asphalt turns into a battlefield for the Drivers' Championship, and contentious incidents start to accumulate - most recently seen via 's time penalties for forcing Norris off the track twice in Mexico, where he was labelled 'dangerous' by his peer.

With only four races and two sprints remaining this season for Norris to close a 47-point gap, Verstappen maintains that preserving their relationship is his main concern, but the 24-year-old Brit may see things differently.

'I only care about our relationship'

Before Mexico and Austin, another significant confrontation between the two racers took place in Austria. Both drivers were battling for the lead, and as lap 64 neared, Norris attempted to take the outside line against a defensively aggressive Verstappen, resulting in a collision, reports .

Verstappen suffered a puncture and, despite limping back to the pits, ended up in fifth, even after receiving a 10-second time penalty. Conversely, Norris received a five-second penalty and, also afflicted by a puncture and damage to his front wing, was forced to bow out.

The crash set off waves of debate, yet despite the potential for strain between the two racers, Verstappen dismissed concerns over their rapport.

"I don't give a s**t about that. I go home. I live my life. And the only thing that I care about is just my relationship to Lando," Verstappen declared post-race. "I think we came to the conclusion that we actually really enjoyed our battle. We looked at the incident, and it was such a silly little touch that had, of course, great consequence for both of us."

'We're not best friends'

Despite multiple run-ins potentially colouring Verstappen's perception of his relationship with Norris, it seems that before their tangle at the Austrian Grand Prix, Norris had already made things clear. Talking to Sky Sports F1 regarding the idea of them being championship contenders, Norris admitted: "Like, I don't want to say it in a bad way. We have respect for one another, we get along. We're not best friends. We don't text each other every day, that kind of thing."

However, Verstappen later revealed that Norris was actually his closest ally on the grid, possibly indicating a growing rift from the Englishman's perspective.

"He is my best friend on the grid," Verstappen confessed to the Daily Mail in July. "He loves what he is doing. I could see clearly from years ago in go-karting that he was very quick - though we never raced against each other. Everything just came to him really naturally as a driver."

'I downloaded Duolingo the other day'

The tension between the two escalated following the recent incident in Mexico. During lap 10, turn four, Norris made a daring move on the outside only to be forcefully edged out by Verstappen.

After manoeuvring around the Dutchman, Norris was then subjected to an aggressive inside move that nearly resulted in another collision. Norris' radio communication was revealing, as he immediately declared: "This guy is dangerous. I will be in the wall in a minute."

Despite this, Norris has previously reciprocated the fondness Verstappen expressed for him with his remarks in Austin - although this may well have changed. In 2023, during a live stream, Norris opened up about his efforts to bond with Verstappen by learning Dutch: "I downloaded Duolingo the other day. I want to try and learn Dutch so I can speak to Max," he stated. This insight hinted at a greater connection between them, contrasting with Norris's subsequent suggestion that they're not particularly close.

'99 per cent he gets that trophy'

As fate would have it, the two are now being pitted against each other for the championship title. Verstappen, a driver with a fiercely competitive streak, might see his friendship with Norris further altered, especially in light of recent events in Mexico City.

Norris, commenting on various racing incidents including contentious ones in Austria and Austin along with their consequences, expressed his opinion: "This was another level on both of those cases," touching upon the Mexico incident.

"It [the incident in Mexico] was another level on both. I was ahead of Max in the braking zone, past the apex. I am avoiding crashing. This is the difference. I can't speak for him, and maybe he'll say something different. But I think it was a step too far from both of those."

Meanwhile, Verstappen remained coy regarding the controversy, simply stating: "At the end of the day, if you agree with it or not, it doesn't matter because the penalties are given."

In the heated race to the finish line, Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has confidently expressed his support for Verstappen, amidst four decisive rounds that are poised to become career-defining. According to TNT Sports, Dodds has put a substantial wager on the table - $250,000 (£192k) - to any driver who manages to outperform Verstappen.

"99 per cent he [Verstappen] gets that trophy," Dodds stated. "I'll tell you what, so if he doesn't win it, there are 19 other drivers, if any one of the other 19 drivers wins it, we'll give a quarter of a million dollars to the charity of choice of the other driver that wins it."

With such a lucrative pledge in the mix, coupled with the irresistible draw of clinching a first world title, Norris is undoubtedly gunning to give Verstappen a fierce competition until the very end, regardless of any simmering tensions or previous bonds.