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Lando Norris has explained why Max Verstappen failed to use dirty tricks during the 2025 title decider.
Heading into the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Norris, Verstappen and Oscar Piastri were all in with a chance of winning the Formula 1 world title.
Norris was in the driving seat as he was leading the world championship, with Verstappen mounting a late charge while Piastri needed a miracle to win the title.
Eventually, Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but missed out on the title by two points after Norris came home third, with Piastri in second place.
During the race, it was expected that Verstappen could back the field up to allow Charles Leclerc, who was in fourth place, to overtake Norris.
Had Norris dropped out of the top three, Verstappen would have won his fifth F1 title.
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Lando Norris admits he didn’t need to ‘fight’ Oscar Piastri in Abu Dhabi
Speaking recently on the Beyond The Grid podcast, Norris was asked whether he was ‘surprised’ Verstappen opted against backing the field up in Abu Dhabi.
In response, Norris explained that Verstappen needed to win the race ahead of Piastri, meaning if he had slowed up purposely, the Australian could have overtaken him.
The Brit admitted that had he been in second place instead of Piastri, Verstappen may well have tried that tactic.
Norris said: “He needed to win the race over Oscar, so that’s why Oscar came past at the beginning. I didn’t need to fight Oscar, and I see having Oscar in second place was a better thing for me.
“So, I think if I was second he would have done it.”
When asked whether he let Piastri through at the first corner, Norris replied: “I just didn’t fight it; I just didn’t need to fight it.”
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Speaking after the race, Verstappen admitted that due to the difference in track layout, it was difficult for him to back the pack up.
As per Sky Sports, the Dutchman explained: “I had a lot of scenarios in my head. But I knew, once I saw the tyres Oscar had on the car, that it would be quite difficult.
“They went for a two-stop. That made it even more complicated because if you stay on a one-stop, backing the whole thing up, it’s tough.
“This new layout around here makes it even harder to do that, compared to 2016.”
Sebastian Vettel labelled Lewis Hamilton’s 2016 tactic as ‘dirty tricks’
Back in 2016, Lewis Hamilton was evidently backing the whole field up as he looked to win the title against Nico Rosberg.
However, the Brit’s tactic did not work as Rosberg finished P2, which was enough for him to secure the F1 crown.
Speaking at the time, Sebastian Vettel, who finished third, called Hamilton’s tactic ‘dirty tricks’.
As reported by Motorsport, the German said: “It was a difficult situation in the end with Lewis playing some dirty tricks.
“Lewis was trying to back Nico into rest of pack. But I couldn’t get past them.”
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