Racing Bulls have publicly condemned an incident involving one of their employees making a thumbs-down gesture towards the crowd during Lando Norris’s victory celebration at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The individual, dressed in Racing Bulls team apparel, was captured on video expressing disapproval as Norris stood on the podium.
This marks the latest in a series of hostile reactions directed at Norris, who has been booed at the last three race weekends during podium ceremonies and grid interviews. Although the exact reason for this negativity remains unclear, many speculate it stems from the contentious McLaren team orders controversy at the Italian Grand Prix.
Despite Norris’s dominant performance in Brazil—securing pole position, sprint race win, and main race victory—the crowd’s mixed reactions persisted.
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In response, Racing Bulls released a statement on their official X account: “We are aware of the video from the weekend’s podium. It does not reflect our team’s values or the spirit of VCARB. The matter has been addressed internally. We stand for celebrating outstanding racing and showing respect to every driver, team, and fan, both on and off the track.”
Norris also received vocal support from Sergio Perez, the new recruit to Cadillac F1. Perez, whose supporters infamously booed Max Verstappen at the 2023 United States Grand Prix, emphasized respect amid fan passion. “I don’t think it’s right to boo the guy who won a race,” Perez told Reuters. “Fans are passionate, but it must be done with respect—always respecting the winner.”
When asked about the boos following his Mexico City victory, Norris remained unfazed. “I don’t know why they’re booing,” he said. “People can do what they want. It’s part of sport sometimes. I actually laugh when I get booed—it makes it more entertaining for me. I’d prefer cheers, of course, but they can keep booing if they want.”
Despite the controversy, Norris continues to excel on track, outperforming teammate Oscar Piastri over the last six race weekends and pushing towards his first World Championship title. He currently leads the standings by 24 points with three races remaining in the 2025 season.