Untold Las Vegas GP Radio: Norris Accuses Verstappen of 'Taking the Piss'

Untold team radio from the Las Vegas Grand Prix has revealed McLaren's Lando Norris accusing Max Verstappen of 'taking the p*ss' during the formation lap. This heated exchange occurred moments before Norris ran wide at Turn 1 after an aggressive defensive move, ultimately gifting the lead to the Red Bull driver.

Why it matters:

This previously unaired radio exchange offers a fascinating glimpse into the psychological warfare at the pinnacle of F1. It underscores how even subtle moves on a formation lap can impact a driver's focus and potentially influence crucial race-start decisions. For Norris, already locked in a tight championship battle with Verstappen, any distraction could be critical, especially as he aims to close a 24-point gap with two races remaining.

The details:

• Verstappen's Victory: Max Verstappen secured his sixth victory of the F1 2025 season in Las Vegas, further narrowing Norris's championship lead.
• Norris's Disqualification: Norris initially finished second but was later disqualified, along with teammate Oscar Piastri, due to excessive skid-block wear.
• Race Start Incident: Norris lost the lead to Verstappen at Turn 1 after an aggressive defensive maneuver forced him onto the dirty side of the track, causing him to run wide.
• Formation Lap Frustration: The untelevised radio reveals Norris's frustration with Verstappen's approach to the formation lap, specifically the large gap Verstappen maintained from the polesitter.
• Tyre Warming: Drivers were instructed to perform up to five burnouts to generate rear-tyre temperature in cold Las Vegas conditions. Verstappen completed all five aggressively, while Norris, preoccupied with Verstappen's gap, only managed three less aggressive burnouts.
• Regulatory Loophole: While safety car rules dictate a maximum of 10 car lengths between cars, formation lap rules only require the formation to be "kept as tight as possible," a less rigid guideline Verstappen seemingly exploited.
• Norris's Complaint: Norris repeatedly voiced his concerns over the team radio, stating, "Yeah, he's taking the p*ss with how big of a gap he's leaving. It's way over the allowed allowance."
• Lambiase's Praise: Post-race, Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, was heard congratulating Verstappen for keeping calm and his head during Norris's aggressive defensive move, suggesting an awareness of the mind games at play.

Between the lines:

Verstappen's actions on the formation lap, whether intentional or not, clearly got inside Norris's head. By manipulating the formation lap rules and performing aggressive burnouts, Verstappen disrupted Norris's pre-race routine and mental preparation. This slight edge likely contributed to Norris's sub-optimal start and subsequent error at Turn 1, highlighting the psychological aspect of elite-level motorsport where every detail can count.

What's next:

The championship battle between Norris and Verstappen is heading into its final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. With only 24 points separating them, these psychological battles and on-track incidents will intensify. Norris will need to maintain maximum focus and avoid such distractions if he hopes to overcome Verstappen's momentum and challenge for the title.