Verstappen's ruthless streak on show again in Norris battle

Two races and two flashpoints, the world championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris is in full flow.

- Giles Richards

With the demonstrable full commitment of both protagonists, neither is leaving anything on the table for the final four races.

Certainly the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday made clear Verstappen's approach to securing his fourth title. He will be as ruthless as ever, perhaps because he is rattled like no time since Lewis Hamilton took him to the wire in 2021.

Norris and Verstappen had gone wheel to wheel at the previous round in Austin, with the Briton punished for going off track while trying to overtake the world champion. It was a decision many considered unfair in that Verstappen had deliberately been too hot into the corner and forced Norris off. There was disquiet and before Mexico a meeting with drivers and the FIA to discuss how to better define what are known as the driving guidelines, which govern what is legal in attacking and defending through a corner.

In Mexico once more they clashed and this time Verstappen was pulled up. Penalised once for forcing Norris wide in his defence at turn four and then shortly afterwards in launching a dive-bomb attack up the inside of turn seven and gaining a place in doing so by going off.