Breaking news: Lando Norris criticised for Madrid cool-down room action

Breaking news: Lando Norris criticised for Madrid cool-down room action

Reigning world champion Lando Norris has found himself at the centre of controversy after a heated exchange in the cool-down room following the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. The McLaren driver, who finished third at the new Madring circuit after losing the lead due to an unfortunate Virtual Safety Car period, was filmed drinking a can of Coca-Cola while watching race highlights alongside winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen. An off-screen FIA official was heard telling Norris to put the drink away, prompting a defiant response from the Briton: “I just did a race, so I’m allowed to drink what I would like. Thank you so much.” The clip quickly went viral on social media, with many fans calling it the highlight of an otherwise dull race that saw just four overtakes.

The issue stems from Formula 1’s strict commercial regulations. While Coca-Cola is a personal partner of McLaren and Norris, rival soft-drink giant Pepsi has been an official global sponsor of Formula 1 since 2025. The cool-down room is regulated by the FIA and F1’s commercial rights holders, and drivers are expected not to promote conflicting brands on camera before the podium ceremony. The official reason for the warning has not been formally disclosed by F1, but it is widely understood to be a sponsorship conflict, leading to what Sports Business Journal described as a pushback after being “chided for drinking from a can of Coca-Cola”.

While fans widely praised Norris for standing his ground, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was critical. Speaking on The Red Flags podcast, Steiner called the act unprofessional. “If you are a professional, you don’t do that. End of story. You know what you can do and what you cannot do. You’re well trained. He shouldn’t have done it,” Steiner said. He added: “Is it a bad thing that he did it? Will somebody get hurt? No. But as a pro, you shouldn’t do it.” Steiner also noted the irony that the reprimand only amplified the brand exposure, saying “If they wouldn’t have said anything, nobody would have even noticed, but because it was so bumped up now it’s a thing, and now Coca-Cola is laughing. It was pretty good for Coca-Cola.”

Norris, who now sits fourth in the championship 106 points behind leader Antonelli, has not apologised and his response was defended by others in the paddock. Former driver David Coulthard said, “Well done Lando for sticking his ground.” The incident added to a frustrating weekend for Norris, who had led the early stages in Madrid before the strategy shake-up. The Madring itself also faced heavy criticism from drivers for its layout, with Norris calling for Turns 18 and 19 to be removed to create a longer straight and a proper overtaking hairpin, saying the circuit “simply doesn’t meet” its potential at present.