Was Norris using mind games to pile more pressure on Verstappen in qualifying? · RaceFans

As Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren appeared to be doing everything possible to increase the pressure on their biggest rival.

After the session ended, Max Verstappen expressed frustration that he encountered a car at the end of both his flying laps in Q3. On both occasions, the car belong to Norris.

The McLaren driver was careful not to impede his rival. However it appears to be more than coincidence that Verstappen came across his closest rival in the championship at the same point on the track in both his final runs.

Norris radio: Q3 run one

In Q3, with rain threatening, McLaren sent Norris out for his first run as Verstappen was nearing the end of his out-lap. As Norris was required to stick to the maximum delta time on his out-lap, and Verstappen was on a push lap, McLaren would have been able to estimate when and where on the track the pair would meet.

Over the course of Norris’ out-lap they kept him well aware of Verstappen’s position. The team would ordinarily need to do this to avoid Norris impeding Verstappen, but the messages began earlier and were more frequent than was needed to achieve this.

By ensuring Verstappen passed Norris between turns 13 and 14, the Red Bull driver may have been slightly distracted. He would also hand Norris the opportunity to gain a slipstream from him as the lap began, handing him the psychological disadvantage of knowing he had inadvertently helped his closest rival.

Joseph	Norris is approaching pit exit Verstappen lead car, six-seven.
Joseph	Leaving pits Verstappen 11
Joseph	Turn one Verstappen in 12
Joseph	Approaching turn two 13
Joseph	Turn five We still expect rain in four minutes time. Verstappen turn one.
Joseph	Turn nine Verstappen in turn four. There are basically two cars to go ahead: Tsunoda and then Alonso’s in 12.
Joseph	Turn 11 Verstappen’s just left five
Joseph	Turn 12 No reports of rain yet. Verstappen turn nine. One car ahead to go.
Joseph	Turn 13 Verstappen turn 12.
Joseph	Verstappen passes Norris between turns 13 and 14, Norris begins his flying lap 13

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Norris radio: Q3 run two

Norris’ first effort put him two-tenths of a second ahead of Verstappen. The Red Bull driver was the first of the two to run again in Q3, and McLaren sent Norris out at almost exactly the same time as before relative to Verstappen.

On this occasion Norris was slightly further ahead of Verstappen on the track, and the McLaren driver asked about his rival’s position at the end of the lap, showing how closely he was paying attention to the Red Bull.

Joseph	And drive straight out. So Oscar’s just out of the final corner now. Sainz is turn 13 or Verstappen turn 11.
Joseph	Norris approaches turn one Verstappen turn 12, Hamilton close at exit.
Joseph	Sainz over the start/finish line
Joseph	Timed lap is Sainz turn one. Very light drops around the circuit. Verstappen over the start/finish line.
Joseph	Approaching turn four Sainz just leaving three.
Joseph	Turn five Then Verstappen turn two.
Joseph	Turn 10 Opportunity: Turn two, ‘Barcelona braking’. Verstappen approaching six [pauses] now.
Joseph	No one behind, in fact Stroll turn three. One car to go ahead is Ricciardo turn 12.
Norris	Approaching turn 13 Verstappen?
Joseph	He just left 11.
Joseph	Verstappen turn [pauses] 12
Joseph	Verstappen 13 Verstappen passes Norris between turns 13 and 14, Norris begins his flying lap

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While this could have been entirely coincidental, the volume of McLaren’s messages to Norris suggest they were trying to find a way to distract Verstappen’s attention without going so far as interfering with his qualifying session.

It appeared to work. Verstappen remarked to his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase that he had been compromised at the end of both his flying laps:

Verstappen radio: After Q3 run two

Lambiase	Norris opening a lap.
Verstappen	My God. Ah!
Lambiase	And red flag. Hard luck, that was a good effort.
Verstappen	Also doesn’t help I had a fucking car again in the second-last corner.
Lambiase	Er, yes. It was exactly the same as the previous run.

The session was red-flagged seconds later. When it resumed, McLaren sent their drivers out for a final run, but Red Bull opted not to. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner remarked later they didn’t want to get involved in any “gamesmanship.” Had he spotted some earlier in the session?