Lando Norris says he knew what to expect when he challenged Max Verstappen in Mexico.
A week after Austin, the pair were once again involved in two controversial moments which led to the three-time world champion being hit with two 20s penalties.
The first followed Norris handing the lead back to Carlos Sainz after the McLaren driver cut Turn 4 shortly after the restart. Settling in ahead of the Red Bull, Verstappen then attempted to pass Norris on the inside at Turn 8.
As far as the stewards were concerned, Norris had been attempting to overtake on the outside of Verstappen at Turn 4. The Briton was ahead of the Red Bull at the entry, apex and towards the exit of the turn when he started being forced off the track.
The stewards believed that the manoeuvre was done in a safe and controlled manner and that Norris would have been able to make the move on the track had he not been forced off by Verstappen. Though Norris had cut the corner he had immediately given the position he gained as a result back to Sainz.
Following the incident in Turn 4, Verstappen attempted to pass Norris on the inside at Turn 8. The Dutchman was ahead at the apex and would have been entitled to racing room. However, he was not able to complete the manoeuvre on the track, left the track and kept the lasting advantage gaining the position, incidentally forcing Norris off track.
Consequently Verstappen received one 10s penalty for forcing another driver off track and another for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage.
"I was through," said Norris at the time. "This guy is dangerous."
The Briton's mood hadn't softened by race end, indeed he admitted that his championship rival's tactics hadn't surprised him.
"I knew what to expect," he said. "I didn't want to expect such a thing because I respect Max a lot as a driver, but I was ready to expect something like this.
"This is not very clean driving, in my opinion, but I avoided it, and it was a good race.
"The first few laps, a lot of it was just trying to stay in the race and avoid any crashes," he admitted.
The Briton subsequently said that while he had anticipated such a move by his rival, he felt that the Dutchman had pushed things too far.
"I don't think I need to say much, I think it's pretty self-explanatory on what happened," he said. "I did everything I'd been told in terms of what the rules are and all of this stuff. Yet it just wasn't to be, and of course, he got some penalties for that.
"I go into a race expecting a tough battle with Max. It's clear that it doesn't matter if he wins or second, his only job is to beat me in the race. He'll sacrifice himself to do that, like he did today.
"I want to have good battles with him, you know, I want to have those tough battles, like I've seen him have plenty of times, but fair ones," insisted the Briton. "It's always going to be on the line, it's always going to be tough with Max. He's never going to make anyone's life easy, especially mine at this point of the year. But I think today was just, it was not fair, clean racing.
"Today I think was another level on both of those cases," he continued. "I was ahead of Max in the braking zone, past the apex. I am avoiding crashing today, this is the difference. I think today was a step too far and it was clear that the stewards agreed to that. So I don't see it as a win or anything like this, it's more that I hope Max acknowledges that he took it a step too far."
Asked whether he might talk to his rival in a bid to calm things down, Norris said: It's not my job, it's got nothing to do with me in a way. But today I felt like I had to avoid collisions. That's not what you feel like you want to do in a race.
"He's in a very powerful position in the championship, he's a long way ahead, he has nothing to lose," he added. "People can say it's the other way around, like he's got everything to lose and it's all for me, but it's not the case.
"So it's not for me, I'm focused on myself, I'm doing my job, which was a good job today, and I'm happy with all of this, and I'm happy with my whole weekend. But it's not my job to control him, he knows how to drive, and I'm sure he knows that today was probably a bit over the limit."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Mexico City here.
sign in