One of the defining features of the F1 2024 season was the ongoing battle between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen as the former made an attempt at unseating the latter at the top of the championship standings.

It was a battle that put a strain on the friendship between the two drivers, but heading into 2025, it seems that both are not only expecting another fight, but have managed to put the past behind them through jokes and laughter.

When Lando Norris took his inaugural victory at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, the tides of the Formula 1 championship shifted. That win signaled McLaren’s resurgence as a championship-contending force, and it lined Norris up as a potential threat to Max Verstappen’s winning streak.

Norris fought hard, but it was ultimately the reigning World Champion who once again took home the trophy at the end of the year. An unfortunate consequence of the battle, though, seemed to be a fracturing of the friendship that the two drivers had forged, as high tensions left both drivers annoyed with one another.

But all the drama seems to be put to rest between the two drivers, with both able to joke about their friendship in a pre-test press conference.

When asked how their relationship fared over the off-season, Verstappen responded, amused, “It’s a terrible relationship. We don’t get on anymore. It’s taken its toll. Big drama. Big problems.”

Norris then chimed in by saying, “We had a fight the other day in a local pub.”

“We had to get escorted [out],” Verstappen laughed.

Norris quipped, “I started it.”

Laughing, the Dutch champion added, “I always say ‘you should see the other guy,’ but actually, he still looks good.”

The cheeky response from both drivers — as well as their ability to laugh with one another — certainly does indicate that any rifts in their relationship have been mended since the checkered flag flew in Abu Dhabi.

Still, Norris took a moment to deeply address the question of their friendship.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” the McLaren driver said.

“I think we’re both looking forward to more of last year, more battles. I don’t think it’s going to be just us. I think there’s going to be others involved, which will make it more exciting for everyone.

“But yeah, I know they’re going to be tough battles, and I’m sure some of them [are] not always going to send the way I want, or hopefully Max wants, but we’re racing drivers.

“We get along. We’ve always said those kinds of things.

“I know everyone tries to make their own points and say what’s correct and what’s not correct, but we respect each other a lot, and we look forward to more racing on track.”

When asked if he had anything to add, Verstappen replied, “No, that’s beautifully said.”

Attempting to extrapolate any season-long predictions from two pre-season testing sessions is something of a fool’s errand, but there does seem to be some evidence that Norris and Verstappen will spend another season battling for track position.

On the first day of testing, Norris topped the timing charts with Verstappen ending the day in third; on Day 2, Verstappen sat out, while Norris’ run seemed more designed to practice pit stops after a slow start to the day.