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Max Verstappen

Reigning F1 Champion Max Verstappen Reveals his ‘Best Friend on the Grid’


Watching an episode of Netflix’s F1 docu-series Drive to Survive is enough to realize that the sport is fiercely ruthless. The drivers fly around the track at ungodly speeds, overtaking each other, and cutting each other off as they fight to propel their ground-based rocketships across the finish line. To get a glimpse of what it’s like, imagine your average road rage on any afternoon on the highway, and multiply it by a million. However, amidst the competitive chaos, friendships do develop, as revealed by current champion Max Verstappen, who recently disclosed that he has a best mate on the grid. Can you guess who it is?

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Max Verstappen and Lando Norris

Image: Getty Images

The Red Bull driver spoke to the Daily Mail before the 2023 season opener in Bahrain, saying, “I get on really well with Lando because he is just himself and normal. He is my best friend on the grid. 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. Good performances were not just one-offs or hit and miss; he was always up at the front. So it was clear he was always going to be here. Some people are quick but don’t know why or how to explain it.”

He added: “Lando knows what he is doing, and that is good for McLaren. When he first joined Formula One he was a bit overwhelmed. Lando can be a little shy but he is a super nice guy and you can see, from year one to now, how he has grown as a person — and that helps his performance because he has more confidence in himself.”

Unfortunately, those kind words didn’t help Lando Norris on race day. The McLaren driver was forced to pit five times before his team retired the car on the sixth visit due to a pneumatic pressure leak on the first lap. Meanwhile, Verstappen couldn’t have kicked off his three-peat challenge any better, cruising to victory from pole position with teammate Sergio Perez behind him.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez

Image: Getty Images

The publication also captured the reigning champion expressing his admiration for his Mexican teammate. “I have got to know Checo (Sergio Perez) a lot better in the last few years, said Verstappen. “He drove brilliantly for the team when I won my first world title in Abu Dhabi. He was superb that day. We were rivals before, especially when I started out at Toro Rosso, and then I got to know him in a bit more personal way. What I like is that he is a family man and really cares for his friends.

“F1 is very important and you want to have a lot of success, but it is not the end of the world if you don’t succeed. I think the same way. We have all won races — and he is the most successful Mexican — but it is not everything because most of your life goes on after you have stopped.”

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