Norris agrees with Verstappen: 'Vips' career shouldn't just end like that'

Juri Vips' language during a livestream has cost the Estonian driver dearly. Red Bull Racing cut ties with the 21-year-old, but not everyone agrees that this measure was necessary. Max Verstappen thinks everyone deserves a second chance, including Vips. Lando Norris shares that opinion and thinks a distinction should be made between intentional racism and human error.

Norris believes racist language should not be accepted, but thinks context also plays a big part. "I think there is there is a difference between someone making, let’s say, a mistake and having used just wrong language and a wrong word versus and someone who is purposely trying to do it to discriminate," the Briton said in conversation with FormulaRapida.net.

If it is a mistake, the McLaren driver therefore does not think there should be such a high penalty. "People make mistakes in life," he continued. "And careers, I don’t think, should just be ended because of something like that. I think you should be able to get forgiven and get opportunities other times."

According to Norris, if Vips were to be given another chance, it would not mean that racism would not be addressed. "I think we are doing quite a bit as a sport and as a community," he continues. He also stresses the importance of continuing to talk about it and making people more aware of the impact their words can have. According to the McLaren driver, the fact that Vips' comments have become such a big topic of conversation is only a good thing.