Guenther Steiner couldn't hold back his thoughts on Lando Norris's decision to drink a can of Coca-Cola in the cool-down room after the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix. The minor incident at the Madring circuit last weekend has sparked a debate.
Norris started the race from pole, but a mistimed Virtual Safety Car handed the lead to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who cruised to his eighth win of the season. Norris had to settle for third after 53 laps under the scorching European sun.
After the race, in the cool-down room, Norris opened a can of Coca-Cola to quench his thirst. However, as Pepsi is F1's official sponsor, he was asked to refrain from doing so on camera. Norris was heard replying, "I just did a race, so I'm allowed to drink what I would like. Thank you so much."
Steiner, known for his straight-talking style, addressed the incident on The Red Flags podcast. "If you are a professional, you don't do that. End of story," he said. "You know what you can do and what you cannot do. You're well trained. He shouldn't have done it."
Nevertheless, Steiner acknowledged that Norris's action wasn't harmful. "Is it a bad thing that he did it? Will somebody get hurt? No. But as a pro, you shouldn't do it. But he has done it. And you know what? I couldn't give a s**t," he added.
Many believe the moment was a genius marketing gimmick for Coca-Cola. Although the brand doesn't sponsor McLaren, it has a long history with the Woking-based team. However, Steiner thinks it wasn't the smartest move. "It's all going by categories. They sell it and obviously if you don't pay, you cannot have it. And he had a Coke. It was not the smartest thing to do," he explained.
Steiner also pointed out the positive side for Coca-Cola. "But as I said, I don't care because now, for Coca-Cola, it worked out pretty good. It was pretty good for them. 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," he said.
Heading into the Azerbaijan GP weekend, Norris currently sits fourth in the drivers' standings, having already racked up two wins for McLaren in 2026. This small incident might be a note for the team in managing its driver's image.
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