LANDO NORRIS SPARKS F1 BACKLASH AFTER CAMERA CATCHES HIS ‘WHERE’S LANCE?’ DIG — FANS ACCUSE THE WORLD CHAMPION OF CROSSING A LINE
Lando Norris has found himself at the centre of a fresh Formula One controversy after a video from a post-race night out appeared to capture the McLaren driver taking a sarcastic swipe at fellow racer Lance Stroll.
The footage emerged after the Singapore Grand Prix, where Norris finished fourth at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, around 40 seconds behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who secured third place.
Norris later enjoyed some downtime with fellow driver Oliver Bearman. But what appeared to be an ordinary night out soon became a talking point among F1 fans after a brief exchange in a bar began circulating online.
THE MOMENT THAT SPARKED THE BACKLASH
In the video, a worker at the bar holds up a digital sign displaying the message: “To the best driver.”
Norris, apparently unaware that he was being filmed, is then heard shouting:
“Where’s Lance?”
The remark was widely interpreted as a sarcastic reference to Lance Stroll, who was sitting 21st in the championship standings at the time.
The clip quickly divided fans. Some saw the comment as a pointed dig at Stroll’s position on the grid, while others questioned whether the moment deserved the level of criticism it received.
For a driver who has recently been under the spotlight following his comments about other figures in the sport, the latest footage added another layer to the debate surrounding his public image.
‘MEAN GIRL ENERGY’: FANS TURN ON NORRIS
Several viewers took to X to criticise Norris, arguing that his status as a world champion should bring greater responsibility in how he speaks about fellow competitors.
One user, @AnaRij60791, wrote: “Sorry but mean girl energy is not funny at all. He’s a world champion now so he’s expected to lead by example. This isn’t it.”
Another, @MV3daily, linked the incident to Norris’s recent remarks about drivers who, in his view, do not deserve a place in Formula One, as well as a separate exchange involving a reporter.
“Has he not learnt the last few days by saying things such as ‘Some people don’t deserve to be in F1’ and mocking a reporter, that this doesn’t come across very well. Lance may not be the best driver on the grid but have some decency at least,” they posted.
The criticism centred on whether the comment was harmless banter between drivers or an unnecessary public slight aimed at a competitor already struggling near the bottom of the standings.
NOT EVERYONE THINKS THE JOKE WENT TOO FAR
However, the reaction was far from unanimous.
Some fans defended Norris, suggesting the remark was simply a joke that had been blown out of proportion.
User @chenlando wrote: “there’s no way people are actually mad at him for this… this app is not real.”
Another supporter, @annegelicuh, took a more playful view, adding: “okay lando you’re pretty funny! i’ll give you that!”
The contrasting reactions have left the clip as another flashpoint in the ongoing debate over how much scrutiny drivers should face for comments made away from the racetrack.
While some expect a world champion to set an example, others believe the sport’s competitive culture naturally includes teasing and sharp humour.
NORRIS ALSO HAD PLENTY TO SAY ABOUT MCLAREN’S PERFORMANCE
Away from the viral footage, Norris was also candid about McLaren’s showing in Singapore.
The Briton admitted he believed fourth place was probably the best result available to the team, although he acknowledged that his own driving had left room for improvement.
“I can look at it in two ways. One, it’s not a bad result for us. I think P4 is as good as we were going to get,” he said.
He added that he could have done more to challenge for third, particularly in his battles with Lewis Hamilton and in the moment that allowed Antonelli to come through.
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“Otherwise, a P4 is the best we could achieve today. I’m happy we managed to do that but we want more than what we had today.”
Norris also suggested McLaren had slipped behind its leading rivals in terms of outright pace, describing Red Bull as the team to beat and acknowledging that his own team was now the fourth-fastest outfit.
“I’m not happy with a P4, I want a podium and we want to fight for wins. We need to keep trying to improve and bringing upgrades to make the car better,” he said.
A JOKE THAT HAS BECOME A BIGGER STORY
For Norris, Singapore was supposed to be about extracting the best possible result from a car that he felt was no longer capable of matching the front-runners.
Instead, a short comment during a night out has drawn attention away from the racing and towards his relationship with his fellow drivers.
Whether fans regard the remark as funny banter or an unnecessary dig, the response highlights the heightened scrutiny that comes with being a world champion.
Norris left Singapore frustrated by missing the podium — but it is his off-track comment about Lance Stroll that has now fuelled the latest F1 debate.