Max Verstappen sends message to F1 rival Lando Norris with 'slagging off' response

Max Verstappen has told Lando Norris to stop "slagging himself off" if the Brit wants to beat him to the Formula 1 drivers' title.

Norris was the chief challenger to Verstappen's supremacy in 2024. But while his McLaren team wont he constructors' title, their star driver had to settle for the runner's up spot in the other title race with his Red Bull rival simply too strong.

And the 25-year-old is out to change that this term. Norris heads into the 2025 season as the bookies' favourite to become F1 champion for the first time, but may need to change his approach when it comes to how he responds to his own mistakes.

That is the view of Verstappen, who noted that his rival is often harsh on himself as he assessed McLaren's title chances. He said: "They were very strong after the first seven races. And if they know what they're doing, they should have a very strong season again.

"[To win the drivers' title] you have to stay positive about yourself, you shouldn't start slagging yourself off." Verstappen went on to prove that he uses that approach himself, adding: "I am happy with how I performed last year."

Norris knows himself that the right balance needs to be found between holding yourself accountable for your mistakes and also forgiving and forgetting. But last year he made it clear that he believes self-criticism is an important part of how he gets the best out of himself on track.

The McLaren man explained: "As much as I get annoyed with myself on Saturdays [after qualifying] at times and people are like, 'You shouldn't beat yourself up' and all of that stuff, a lot of my best performances come then on that next day.

"It doesn't affect me when I go and drive the next day, because I'm like, 'Oh I still just messed up Saturday'. Just because I say it and things, it doesn't mean that. And I think a lot of people have different opinions on it, but I've always been that way. Since karting, I've always been like that.

"It's the way I got brought up and it's the way I've developed into being the driver that I am today. At times, maybe it's not the best thing and I do get just very frustrated and down over a lot of it, but just because I care about doing a good job and trying to deliver for the team.

"So, I do it, not that I just purposely try to do it, but because it's just the way that I work best. And it's the way that I'm able to bounce back best. Therefore, I've always just been very honest when I think I've done a good job and bad job."