Lando Norris said social media mockery never really irritated him during his first five seasons of winning in Formula One, even after he became one of the sport’s breakout stars due to the phenomenon of a Netflix series.
It was a long wait when the McLaren team assembled its program and worked on cars capable of competing with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. Norris spent his time watching social media, looking for motivation among his detractors.
His moment came on Sunday when, in the 110th start of his career, he earned his first victory by beating Max Verstappen, the reigning three-time F1 champion, in the Miami Grand Prix. Verstappen won the first two races in Miami and Saturday’s sprint before hitting a cone early on Sunday, opening the door for Norris.
“I never thought about what I could do, so I’m glad to get it over with and prove a lot of these people wrong,” Norris said. “I go on Instagram and I like all the comments from people who rant at me. It’s something that fascinates me. It makes me smile more than anything, especially the “Lando No-Wins.” “That’s what it all boils down to.”
“For me, to finally be able to prove those people wrong and prove the people who didn’t think I could do it, it brings a bigger smile to my face. My total gratitude to everyone,” she added.
Norris appeared at the post-race press conference with his uniform soaked in champagne. Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton began the congratulatory hugs for Norris. Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, third in the race, splashed champagne right into Norris’ face on the podium.
He closed his eyes and raised his smiling face towards the sky while “God Save the King” was heard, and snuggled the winning trophy as if it were an infant. He was carried by his McLaren teammates and when he saw boss Zack Brown approaching, he warned him, “Don’t break my ribs,” in anticipation of the big hug.
“I’m shaking really hard because I wanted to keep all the champagne on me,” Norris said, laughing, “and now I’m super cold.”
