The world of Formula 1 has been stirred by the recent statements of Guenther Steiner, former team principal of Haas, who has labeled Lando Norris’s reaction, McLaren driver, at the Spanish Grand Prix as ‘unprofessional’. After finishing third in the race held at the Montmelo Circuit, Norris was seen drinking a Coca-Cola in the break room.
These events sparked controversy because Pepsi, Coca-Cola’s rival, is one of the official sponsors of Formula 1. In response to the instructions of an official who asked him to leave the drink, Norris defended his choice emphatically, stating: ‘I just raced, so I can drink whatever I want. Thank you.’
Norris’s reaction was well received by many fans on social media, but Steiner, in a recent episode of the Red Flags Podcast, expressed his disapproval. ‘If you are a professional, you shouldn’t do this. Period. You know the rules, you are well-trained. You shouldn’t have done that. It’s true that no one was harmed, but as a professional, it’s not appropriate,’ said Steiner.
Steiner added that the incident was particularly unfortunate due to brand implications, as it generated more visibility for Coca-Cola. ‘It’s not that I care, because Coca-Cola has done well. If they hadn’t said anything, nobody would have noticed, but now it’s an issue and they are laughing,’ he concluded.
After this race, Lando Norris remains in fourth place in the drivers’ championship with a total of 186 points, 106 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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