'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Lando Norris has bluntly responded to Juan Pablo Montoya’s remarks on F1 drivers of this generation being too friendly. The McLaren driver opined that drivers have evolved with time, and their off-track friendships do not affect the on-track rivalry at all.
Juan Pablo Montoya, a seven-time former F1 race winner, compared the atmosphere between Formula 1 rivals during his era and the present generation. In the Beyond the Grid podcast, Montoya explained that during his racing days, drivers were not advised to be friends and rarely spoke to each other, resulting in a hostile environment.
However, in this generation, drivers are not only friends but also spend time off the track doing bonding activities. Montoya believes that off-track camaraderie between rivals makes it harder for them to be aggressive on the track.
Trending
However, McLaren driver Lando Norris begged to differ. In the latest episode of the Beyond the Grid podcast, the Brit opined that 20-30 years of past history is irrelevant, as with time, the sport has evolved.
“I don’t care what happened 20 years ago; everything’s changed in the world. The general level of drivers is way higher than it was 30 years ago. What happened then vs what happens now is completely irrelevant. It just comes down to one question: did you do everything you could to win the race on that day?" Norris said.
Norris had an intense championship battle with his friend Max Verstappen in the 2024 season. During the Austrian GP last year, things got heated between the two after a crash. The McLaren driver even threatened to end the friendship before the duo resolved their difference.
Eventually, Verstappen won the championship by a 63-point lead, whereas Norris settled for P2. However, their battle ended up being the major highlight of the season as they fiercely chased the prized title.
Lando Norris reacts to losing the championship lead to Oscar Piastri
![Oscar Piastri [L] with Lando Norris [R] at F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia - Previews - Source: Getty](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/39c63-17454189065697-1920.jpg)
In the 2025 season, Lando Norris' biggest championship rival is his own McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri. After a victory at the 2025 Saudi Arabian GP, Piastri has become the new championship leader with 99 points, with Norris at P2 (89 points).
However, the Brit is not affected by losing the lead, as he is eyeing the long game. Talking to Motorsportweek, Norris said:
“I think I’m not that bothered by the fact that I’m leading the championship. I think at the moment leading the championship is a result of all the hard work we’ve done in the off-season, the hard work I’ve done personally, and the hard work the team’s done. So I’m more proud of all of those things than I am of the fact that I’m leading the championship because ultimately I want to be leading it after round 24 and not round five.”
After missing out on his maiden title by 63 points, Lando Norris is committed to accomplishing the unfinished business this year. Moreover, with the competition being extremely tight, McLaren's pace advantage over its rivals gives Norris an edge.
