Max Verstappen F1 quit threats dismissed by Lando Norris

Lando Norris has dismissed threats from Max Verstappen that he could quit F1 sooner rather than later, although he has conceded it will be "a loss for the sport" if he proves true to his word.

Since the new season started, Verstappen has made no secret of his dislike of the regulations changes and cars now powered by a 50-50 split between combustion and electrical energy.

Many believe that Verstappen's animosity has been fuelled by the fact that Red Bull has struggled to deliver a performant car, with the Dutch driver a lowly ninth in the standings and already 102 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli after just three grands prix.

The four-time F1 champion is adamant that, despite not being in a front-running car, his thoughts would be the same if he were challenging for wins and podiums.

Norris, who beat Verstappen by two points last season to secure his first drivers' title and end the Dutchman's dominance, feels the 28-year-old has "earned the right to go and do whatever he wants".

The Briton, though, would actually miss going up against Verstappen if he opted to quit at the end of this season.

"He's won four world championships, and he's always been that guy," said Norris, speaking to media, including RacingNews365, at the team's headquarters in Woking on Wednesday.

"It's not just now. He's always been very open in saying what he thinks, whether you agree or not, or whether he should say it or not. He's himself, and that's a very good way to live your life.

"So it will be a shame for the sport, a miss for the sport if that does happen, because he probably is one of the best drivers you'll ever see in Formula 1.

"And it'll be a shame for us, because as much as he makes our lives incredibly tough at times, he's always good fun to race against. It's always cool to race against someone who's won four championships. You always feel like you want to race against the best in the world, and he certainly is one of them, so yeah, it would be a loss for the sport."

Referring to Verstappen's recent participation in GT cars as he builds up to his tilt at the Nürburgring 24 Hours next month, Norris added: "But to be honest, I also enjoyed watching the GTs. If it gives me something to go and watch him in other categories, that's also a good thing for me. 

"He's also driven some of the best cars that you see. I think it's relative for other people because when you see the new guys who have come in, and this is their first year in Formula 1, they're like, 'These cars are sick'.

"But for the guys who have driven last year's cars and some of the previous ones, we have something to compare against, and it's still kind of relative for everyone."

Ultimately, Norris does not see Verstappen leaving, for one reason only.

"Hopefully, things get better," said Norris. "I also saw that he said he wants to win a fifth world championship, so I'm sure he'll stay longer than people say."