Lando Norris claims that booing during the podium ceremony made it more entertaining for him.

While the Sky team could barely contain their excitement at the Briton's win, and his overhauling of his teammate in the championship, the crowd had other ideas, and made their feelings clear, booing Norris as he appeared on the unique podium.

Asked at the post-race press conference if the crowd's reaction soured things for him, Norris quipped: "Oh, sour. I like sour sweets.

"I don't know why, to be honest," he continued. "People can do what they want, honestly. They have the right to do it if they want to do it. So, I think that's sport sometimes.

"I don't know why I can't stop laughing when I get booed," he insisted. "I think it makes it more entertaining for me.

"So, yeah, they can keep doing it if they want. Of course, you don't want it. I prefer if people cheer for me. But I don't know. Who knows?

"Like I said, I just concentrate on doing my things. It was the same in, what, Monza and a few other places. So, yeah. I don't know why. I just can't stop laughing. So, if they want to continue they can."

Thankfully, journalist Carlos Jalife was on hand to explain to the McLaren driver.

"Let me give you a little bit of background on why the booing," he said. "It seems that the Mexican people think - we did a poll - that you are being given the championship. That's why the booing is coming.

"We asked, 'What should Lando do?' and they said return the three points," he continued. "That was the question that got the highest percentage of the answers. So basically, that's the background of the booing in Mexico. So, would you be willing to return those three points?"

"From where?" asked a clearly perplexed Norris, even though everyone else knew what was being referred to.

"From the race that you stopped (Monza)," Jalife helpfully explained, "they messed up your pit stop, and then you were given the place back that got the three points, the extra points.

"So basically, people feel that you're being given the championship."

"If they want to think that, then they certainly have the right to," said Norris, "they can think whatever they want.

"I guess from us as a team, of course, we try and do things fairly. That was the comments we made back then. The same with, you know, two years ago in Budapest when I could have won the race and had to let Oscar back through and let him win a race he deserved to win. It was no different to that really. It was an incorrect decision that we made as a team to box him first - and, or me first here. And, yeah, to be honest, if you want to have the three points, they can. But they have the right to think whatever they want. But, yeah, like Oscar deserved the win last year in Budapest, I deserve to be ahead at Monza. Simple as that."

Check out our Sunday gallery from Mexico City here.

LATEST NEWS

more news >

LATEST IMAGES

galleries >

Click to go to the main galleries section

READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Jean-Pierre, 28/10/2025 17:30

"This is so cheap, almost as cheap as the stewardship of the race. Mexico is definitely not one of my favorite GP."

Rating: Positive (2) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

2. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 28/10/2025 11:33

"@Editor – I’m with you. Booing looks faintly ridiculous. Though I’d make a few exceptions: pantomimes, WWF wrestling bouts, and the odd political speech where the usual empty promises are made."

Rating: Positive (4) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

3. Posted by Editor, 28/10/2025 11:14

"I remember being at a Hearts game some years ago when I lived in Edinburgh.

It was a poor performance so I decided to leave early.

As I walked up the steps to the exit on either side there were grown men enthusiastically booing.

It was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.

Do it, go to the mirror, look directly into it and go boo! boo!

You'll see what I mean."

Rating: Positive (7) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

4. Posted by kenji, 28/10/2025 11:06

"@Ricardo-sanchez....wrong. there is no blurring there. Booing is the voice of disapproval by a cross section of the public [ in this instance] of perceived unfair activities entered into by team McLaren to the detriment of one driver. That is an F1 based social comment IMHO. Sanctimony never was fashionable..."

Rating: Negative (-4) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

5. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 28/10/2025 8:23

"@kenji - You’re blurring two very different things. Freedom of speech protects expression from censorship, not discourtesy from criticism.

Atkinson was obviously talking about the right to challenge ideas, not the right to jeer at F1 drivers. Booing isn’t social commentary nor is it political speech – it’s just poor manners.
"

Rating: Positive (4) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

6. Posted by kenji, 28/10/2025 8:19

"@ Schrodinger's cat....Well said and I fully endorse your right of reply. Cancel culture would have you doomed to silence! "

Rating: Negative (-3) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

7. Posted by kenji, 28/10/2025 8:02

"@ Ricardo-sanchez....Seeing as though your coyness prevents you from disclosing you place of residence I will now have to start guessing. Once again the timing is narrowed down somewhat so it's possible that you are here in good ole' Oz or possibly Aotearoa! As for your options, well A is materially deficient as you've missed out on naming some other really pathetic dudes but we'll leave the 'name and shame' game for another banter time. All that aside, B is obviously in play judging by your alacrity to respond so we should possibly move on now. If the booing is deemed to be offensive by some [ obviously not lots of Mexicans ] then Rowan Atkinson's comments on the matter are worthy of mentioning here,
He said, 'In my view the right to offend is far more important than any right not to be offended. The right to ridicule is far more important to society than any right not to be ridiculed because one, in my view represents openness and the other represents oppression' "

Rating: Negative (-4) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

8. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 28/10/2025 8:01

"@Schrodinger’s cat - Booing is by definition a behavioural expression, so of course it has to do with manners. You don’t need to like every driver to behave decently.
"

Rating: Positive (3) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

9. Posted by Schrodinger's cat, 28/10/2025 7:33

"@Ricardo_sanchez, get off your high horse.

Spectators only have four options. To cheer, to not make any sound, to boo or to silently turn their backs to the track.

I'm no fan of booing, but there are times when it's appropriate. That has nothing to do with manners."

Rating: Negative (-3) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

10. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 28/10/2025 3:11

"@kenji – there are only two possible explanations, really.

A) I secretly reside inside your head. Admittedly, space is limited given the long-term tenants (Hamilton, Norris, Stella, and the entire Sky F1 presentation team).

B) I’ve got an alarm that goes off whenever you post so I can reply immediately.

You’re excellent at theories, so I’ll let you decide which you find more plausible. :-)
"

Rating: Positive (5) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

11. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 28/10/2025 3:05

"@kenji – stripped of the theatrics and personal jibes, your argument just seems to be that booing isn’t bad manners. That’s fine if that’s what you believe, but it’s a pretty low bar for sportsmanship.

Respecting competitors is basic decency. It doesn’t stifle free expression but it does keep passion from turning into spite. Your historical detour and “moral decay” rhetoric don’t change the very simple distinction."

Rating: Positive (6) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

12. Posted by kenji, 28/10/2025 2:56

"Ricardo-sanchez Apologies for the double dip but I have a question. Where do you actually reside? I assumed, most likely incorrectly, that you were from the British Isles. Your almost instant response to some of my supposed 'contrarian views' would belie that viewpoint. Of course you may not wish to disclose which is your prerogative."

Rating: Negative (-5) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

13. Posted by kenji, 28/10/2025 2:42

"@Ricardo-sanchez...hahaha Enjoy your self annointed position as arbiter of all things great and good. People are free to believe whatever they like and if they verbalise discontent then so be it. Far be it from me to assume the Pitpass conscience. According to the record it notes that lots of Italian fans also exhibited this same moralistic decay! Now the Mexicans are also infected. 'Que pasa mi amigo'. Trying to shut down public displays of disatisfaction has a very murky past.... Lets wait and see if this malcontent has morphed into an intercontinetal drift and has travelled all the way to San Paulo. As for your throwaway last line... I just like to see success as a reward for merit accompanied by a lack of artifice."

Rating: Negative (-5) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

14. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 28/10/2025 2:02

"@kenji – I see it as my civic duty on Pitpass to balance your persistently contrarian takes, so here goes.

Freedom of expression protects political speech, not rudeness. Booing a competitor isn’t a noble act of liberty, it’s just poor manners.

And so what if “many spectators thought Norris was off”? That doesn’t make it true. A mistaken perception doesn’t gain legitimacy just because it’s widely shared.

As for the reporter, calling his behaviour “offering up a possible reason” misses the point. He used a loaded question, implying guilt where none existed, and presented a fan poll as fact. Asking whether Norris would “return the three points” presupposed wrongdoing and forced him to defend himself against an accusation dressed up as curiosity. That’s not journalism; it’s manipulation.

Finally, your “if you’re free to cheer, you’re free to boo” line sounds balanced but isn’t. Cheering uplifts, booing diminishes. They’re not moral equivalents.

It’s easy to defend bad behaviour under the banner of “freedom” when the target happens to be a driver you’re not inclined to support (deliberate understatement). "

Rating: Positive (5) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

15. Posted by kenji, 28/10/2025 1:32

"In regards to the booing. The reporter offered up a possible reason. It may be true, it may be false? The fact remains that in the minds of a great many spectators Norris was 'off'. Whilst I am not a 'booer' myself I wholly support those that do. Expressing disatisfaction in a free democratic manner is acceptable. If you're free to cheer when you are happy then you're free to boo when you're not."

Rating: Negative (-1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

Norris reacts to booing

LATEST NEWS

RELATED ARTICLES

LATEST IMAGES

POST A COMMENT

Post your comment

READERS COMMENTS

Share this page