Lando Norris did not hide his irritation after losing a victory that seemed secured at the Spanish Grand Prix of Formula 1, and was even reprimanded for drinking a Coca-Cola in the post-race in Madrid. The McLaren driver responded directly to the request to hide the brand in the interview area.
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Pole position, comfortable lead, and strong pace to control the race put Norris in a favorable position until the VSC was triggered by Lance Stroll after brake problems. The moment was especially bad for the Briton, who had just passed the pit entry, while Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen managed to make their stops with less time loss.
As he had to make his pit stop under normal conditions later, Norris dropped from first to fourth position and finished the race in P3. Frustrated with the missed opportunity, the British driver appeared on the broadcast drinking a can of Coca-Cola in the room reserved for drivers after the race.
The situation gained a curious detail because Coca-Cola is not a sponsor of F1, which has an agreement with PepsiCo, a competitor of the brand. The drink, on the other hand, is a sponsor of McLaren, Norris’s team.
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During the moment, Norris apparently received guidance to put the can away, while Antonelli also made a gesture indicating that the label should be hidden. The Briton, however, did not accept the recommendation and replied: “I just finished a race, so I can drink whatever I want. Thank you very much,” he said directly.
The response quickly resonated among fans on social media, who defended Norris and considered it legitimate for the driver to choose the drink he wanted to consume after a demanding, and in a way, frustrating race.
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