Lando Norris retracted a comment about Max Verstappen made after last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix, during which two safety cars and a red flag were deployed by the stewards.
Verstappen produced one of the drives of his career to win the 2024 race, having started down in 17th place after a poor qualifying session and a five-place grid penalty.
The Dutchman overtook Esteban Ocon for the lead on lap 43, having chosen to stay out earlier on in the race while others ahead of him pitted.
George Russell and Norris, who were first and second, dropped to fourth and fifth after their pit stop, but a red flag meant that Ocon, Verstappen and Pierre Gasly ahead of them could all change tyres during the stoppage and receive no penalty.
Although there was, naturally, an element of fortune in that, it could also have been argued that Red Bull better assessed the conditions and the likelihood of a red flag, and therefore decided to keep Verstappen on track.
Verstappen ultimately crossed the line first ahead of Alpine team-mates Ocon and Gasly.
Speaking after the race, though, Norris said: “It was just unlucky [for McLaren]. I don’t care about the hindsight side of things. That’s luck for them, nothing more.
“They got lucky on a rule that no-one agrees with [changing tyres during a red flag]. Probably they agreed with it today, but every driver has disagreed with it in the past. Today it benefitted them, it could have benefitted us if we just stayed out.
“Just a bit unlucky today, nothing more. [Max] drove well. He got a bit lucky, but that’s life.”
Norris, who leads the 2025 Drivers’ Championship by one point ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, did change his stance at the FIA awards gala by retracting his initial comments towards Verstappen.
“First of all, I retract that comment back there where I said it was all luck, not talent,” he remarked. “You know how the media changes things.
“Congratulations to Max. What he did this year, what he did in Brazil, of course, was incredible, so I’m in the first one to acknowledge such a thing when I’m the one going up against them.”
