Despite competing in just his third F1 season, Lando Norris has already established himself as a popular figure in the F1 paddock. The Briton is enjoying one of his strongest seasons this year, sitting in fourth place in the driver’s championship.
Along with new teammate Daniel Ricciardo, Norris is spearheading McLaren’s battle with Ferrari for third place. During the Italian Grand Prix weekend, he made a stunning gesture for a Ferrari fan and bumped into his former teammate, Carlos Sainz.
Yesterday, McLaren released another episode in their regular post-race Unboxed series. Titled ‘The Perfect Weekend’, the 27-minute video covered several aspects of the British outfit’s weekend in Monza.
A segment in the video showed Norris take a different approach to the customary track walk. Along with a couple of his colleagues, the Briton took to cycling on the Monza circuit. Before reaching the Ascari chicane, fans beside the track called for the Briton to sign a few autographs.
And one of those fans held out a Ferrari T-shirt, which caught Norris‘ eye. The Briton kept the fan’s request, who wished him luck for the weekend after receiving his autograph.
While Italians are extremely passionate about Ferrari, they show immense love for every F1 driver, depicting their feelings for the sport. In fact, the video also shows fans queued up at the exit of the track, cheering for Norris while attempting to take pictures when he entered their phones’ frames.
Before Sunday’s race, the 21-year-old also found time to joke with Sainz, who now races for Ferrari. Norris landed a playful punch on the Spaniard, who responded with a kick of his own. Following the interaction, Sainz admitted Norris’ punch was “too hard for a race weekend.”
WATCH: Lando Norris Reminisces About the ‘Iconic’ Milk Challenge With Carlos Sainz
The Briton showed exceptional skill to hold off Valtteri Bottas’ charge through the field to finish second. This marked his best finish in an F1 race, with his previous podiums coming due to third-placed finishes.
Along with Daniel Ricciardo‘s victory, McLaren reclaimed third place from Ferrari in the constructor’s championship. With seven races to go, this looks like a battle that will go down to the wire.
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