Confirmed
Steiner criticises Norris over Spanish GP Coca-Cola incident
Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner deemed Lando Norris's post-Spanish Grand Prix Coca-Cola moment unprofessional.
Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has publicly criticised McLaren driver Lando Norris for his conduct in the cooldown room following the Spanish Grand Prix, an incident widely reported by Crash.net and Motorsport.com.
Post-Race Incident
Norris, who concluded the Spanish Grand Prix in third position, was observed consuming a Coca-Cola beverage in the cooldown room before the official podium ceremony. An official subsequently instructed Norris to cease drinking the soft drink, citing a conflict with Formula 1's commercial partnerships, as rival company PepsiCo holds an official partnership with the championship. Norris, the 2025 world champion, reportedly rejected this request, stating, "I just did a race, so I’m allowed to drink what I would like. Thank you so much."
Steiner's Viewpoint
Guenther Steiner, speaking on The Red Flags podcast, expressed his disapproval of Norris's actions, characterising them as unprofessional. He articulated, "If you are a professional, you don't do that. End of story." Steiner further elaborated that professional drivers are adequately trained regarding permissible and impermissible conduct, implying that Norris should have adhered to these established guidelines. While acknowledging that the action itself was not harmful, he reiterated his conviction that a professional ought not to engage in such behaviour. Steiner concluded his remarks on the matter with a blunt statement, indicating his ultimate indifference to the situation's broader implications, asserting, "I couldn't give a s***."
Commercial Implications
Addressing the underlying reasons for the official's intervention, Steiner confirmed that the issue revolved around Formula 1's commercial categories. He explained that specific product categories are exclusive to partners who provide financial sponsorship, and therefore, unauthorized brands are not permitted. Steiner noted that Norris's consumption of Coca-Cola, a non-partner brand, was "not the smartest thing to do." However, he also suggested that the ensuing publicity ultimately benefited Coca-Cola, as the incident gained significant attention. Steiner proposed that had the official not intervened, the moment likely would have gone unnoticed, but the subsequent escalation transformed it into a notable event from which Coca-Cola potentially profited.
Norris currently holds fourth position in the Formula 1 drivers' championship with 128 points, trailing Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who leads with 219 points, and also behind Lewis Hamilton, who has accumulated 169 points. Valtteri Bottas, the Finnish driver, is presently in 21st place with 0 points after 14 rounds of the 2026 season.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Confirmed, which means the people involved have said this on the record. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Eero Lahtinen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Crash.netcrash.net
- Motorsport.commotorsport.com
