Verstappen dismisses Norris' gesture.

      "Max demonstrated his skills during a single lap."

      Lando Norris directed a middle finger at Max Verstappen on Sunday, but it's the second McLaren driven by Oscar Piastri that is starting to pull ahead in 2025. Red Bull’s Verstappen began the race from pole position in Miami, but team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko acknowledges the current situation. "Max displayed his talent on one lap," he stated. "However, during the race, it became evident how far behind we are compared to McLaren. We're talking about a gap of seven tenths of a second."

      Piastri secured his third straight grand prix victory, now holding a 16-point lead over Norris, who expressed his frustration towards his friend Verstappen. Onboard footage captured Norris gesturing at the four-time world champion after their intense wheel-to-wheel encounter. "That’s just how it is with Max—it's crash or don’t pass," the Brit said. "But he’s jeopardizing his own race. He’s not racing very intelligently."

      In response, Verstappen insisted he was simply accepting that he would finish behind those with significantly better speed. "I did attempt a few things with those McLarens," the Dutchman remarked, "because I have nothing to lose. It was a bit of fun, as there isn’t much else for me to do."

      He also expressed disinterest in Red Bull’s failed protest related to a yellow flag incident involving George Russell, which could have moved Verstappen up to P3. "Finishing third or fourth doesn’t really matter," he asserted. "That’s not the reason I'm here. At one point, I just thought, 'never mind - I'll be going home soon.'"

      Regarding Norris' gesture and his complaints about Verstappen’s racing style, as well as his 'villain' reputation, the Red Bull driver denied that it impacts him. "Why? Is that a problem?" he told Viaplay. "I defend myself using the means available to me, just like every other Formula 1 driver."