Verstappen ‘not as close a friend as people think’, says Norris

In brief

Norris and Verstappen not “true” friends

Despite being well known to have competed together in simracing and having a largely good relationship off the track, Norris stresses that he is not as close with Verstappen as some may assume.

“Everybody thinks we are better mates than we are,” Norris told the Red Bulletin. “I have other people who are my real friends. My true friends.

“He’s a guy I get along with well off the track. That doesn’t change. I am good at keeping things separate. If someone treats me like s*** on track, it doesn’t mean I will treat them like s*** off the track. They are two different worlds.”

WEC announces 2025 entry list

Aston Martin will join the championship with its Valkyrie hypercar, while Lamborghini’s single car entry from this year’s championship with Iron Lynx will not compete. The two Aston Martins will race with numbers 007 and 009, despite Toyota retaining its number seven entry.

There will again be three Ferrari 499Ps in the field – two factory cars and one independently operated by AF Corse. The Jota team will switch to Cadillac for next year’s championship with their to entries.

Haas confirms Crone for F1A

Haas has announced that Courtney Crone, who raced as a wild card in the F1 Academy round in Miami, will represent the team in over a full season next year.

The 23-year-old finished 14th and 11th, both from 16th and last on the grid, in her two races in Miami. She will replace Chloe Chambers, who will reach the end of her second season in the series next month and will be ineligible to continue next year.

Links

‘We’re beyond scraps in the garden now’: the identical twins on opposite sides for Red Bull (Guardian)

Matt Caller: ''We never dreamed this could happen, even to the point we started working in the same team together. That in itself was a novelty. We were on Max’s car together, both on the back-end, I was rear-end mechanic and Jon was the gearbox man. Then fast forward to now and we are both number ones on our respective cars. I don’t think anyone could have written that.''

Michael Buffer and brother Bruce to introduce F1 stars at Las Vegas Grand Prix (Independent)

'Michael Buffer and his brother Bruce will join forces to introduce Formula 1’s stars for Saturday’s celebrity-fuelled Las Vegas Grand Prix. Michael, famous for his ''let’s get ready to rumble'' phrase, was hired by F1 bosses ahead of the US Grand Prix in Austin in 2017. Bruce, known for yelling ''it’s time'', announced the grid’s drivers prior to last year’s event on the Strip.'

Argenti partners with Prema and joins GB3 Championship (GB3)

'Leading single-seater outfit Argenti Motorsport has today (22/11/2024) announced its latest exciting project. From 2025, the team will join the GB3 Championship, the UK’s premier single-seater series, forming a technical partnership with the renowned Prema Racing squad. Argenti has provided a seamless link through karting into F4 in recent seasons, with British, European and World titles in karting alongside victories and podium finishes across its five seasons in F4.'

We always endeavour to credit original sources. Got a tip for a link relating to single-seater motorsport? Please send it to us via the contact form.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Social media

Notable posts from X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and more:

Beautiful bit of timing in FP1 as the camera pans past an advert reading: "We are all adults here"
The GPDA open letter told FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem that "our members are adults" #F1 #LasVegasGP

— Chris Medland (@chrismedlandf1.bsky.social) 22 November 2024 at 02:54

Very promising news here about the Andretti F1 project, and perhaps we will see them in 2026 after all. I just hope that Michael gets a crack at it himself and isn't sidelined, when this is seemingly a project that wouldn't be happening without his tenacity #LasVegasGP

— Sean Kelly (@virtualstatman.bsky.social) 22 November 2024 at 10:42

F1 free training is over. Hamilton was fastest in both sessions. Casino’s in Downtown look like in 2020, Freemont Street is basically empty. Let’s see if the Neon City Festival will change something about it

— Las Vegas News (@vegasnews.bsky.social) 22 November 2024 at 13:58

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

• Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory

Comment of the day

News that F1 could be suddenly warming to the idea of an 11th team amuses NinjaBadger…

F1: [Puts phone down] Well, that’s told Andretti. We don’t need them when we have actual car manufacturers, with real commitment to F1.

Renault: About that…

Audi: …

F1: [Picks up phone] Hi. Is that Andretti…?
NinjaBadger

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Nina Wood and Karthikeyan!

On this day in motorsport

• 10 years ago today Lewis Hamilton clinched his second world championship with victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, F1’s only double points race. Title rival Nico Rosberg suffered technical trouble.