'%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)
F1 drivers are competitive beasts. They do not like losing, and more often than not, it is the yearning to prove themselves as the best that leads to them reaching such glorifying heights in their careers.
The current F1 grid has been a surprisingly friendly one. An entire generation of drivers have seemingly made their way to the top after years of competing and growing up with each other. What this growing up together phenomenon has done is that it has developed a bond between the drivers. Many of them are childhood friends who spent time together away from the track as well.
Having said that, as careers unravel, the stakes continue to rise. What this rise does is that it puts them in a position where their careers and achievements start to take precedence over everything else. More than that, as the careers mature, they start fighting at the sharper end of the grid and for the title.
And often when that happens, tempers flare, tensions rise, and we get the first sign of friction between the drivers. Unfortunately, the duo that were once friends would not even look at each other. There have been instances of this in the past as well with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg being the biggest example of what happens when stakes are raised.
Hamilton and Rosberg grew up together and were close friends. All of this unraveled when an F1 title was on the line and the friendship went into the bin.
On the current F1 grid, there are plenty of drivers who have a great relationship with each other. In this feature, we will take a look at three of these friendships that could potentially break apart in the future.
3 F1 driver friendships that could break
#3 George Russell-Lando Norris
The inherent rivalry of George Russell and Lando Norris goes back to the 2018 F1 season when the two battled it out for the F2 championship. At the time, Russell was a more finished product as Norris was still in his teens and learning the ropes.
By the looks of it, over the years Norris has improved a lot and has now emerged as the team leader at McLaren. Russell, on the other hand, is on the verge of becoming the leader at Mercedes as well.
With both of them elite talents, one can't help but predict a situation in the future where the two battle it out for bigger stakes. When that happens, it won't come as a surprise if the relationship takes a turn for the worse.
#2 Fernando Alonso-Max Verstappen
This one is probably one of the least likely changes in dynamics primarily because Aston Martin's future and development direction still have a major question mark on it.
Having said that, if the team can replicate the kind of surge in form it has from 2022 to 2023 and do it again from 2023 to 2024, then it could make things interesting.
A Fernando Alonso-Max Verstappen title battle will be a sight to behold. The two drivers tend to share a chemistry off the track for sure. Especially with a certain sense of mutual respect between the two ever since Verstappen reached F1.
However, if there is a title fight, Alonso is going to pull all stops. He's not only going to try and beat Verstappen on track, he's going to try and destabilize the young driver.
For Alonso, an F1 title at this stage of his career would make things whole, and if that is what is at stake expect the 'friendship' to be put on the back burner if the two end up clashing for big stakes.
#1 Max Verstappen- Lando Norris
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have been close friends for a while now and the first time this truly surfaced was in 2021 when the McLaren driver claimed it was the Dutchman who deserved to win the title. The two drivers are a bit different in terms of personalities but have already started to garner huge fan support.
Having said that, all of this has happened during a time when Verstappen and Norris have not been in direct competition against each other. If McLaren takes the next step and closes the gap to Red Bull next season then Norris and Verstappen could potentially be fighting against each other for wins and podiums regularly.,
There's even a chance that Norris' primary rival next season could be Verstappen and vice versa. Whether that happens next season or sometime in the future, it does seem that these two drivers are almost destined for a title battle.
When that happens, we could see a repeat of what happened with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and we could see the relationship taking a toll as a result.
