McLaren driver Lando Norris has defended his participation in Amsterdam’s King’s Day celebrations despite suffering a minor injury during the event. Photos of the pilot with a bandage on his nose circulated on social media, but he insists there is no reason to be embarrassed.
During the weekend off between the Chinese and Miami Grands Prix, Norris was in the Dutch capital with friends to celebrate King Willem-Alexander’s birthday. “I have a lot of friends, so it was a good weekend, but the very next morning I flew straight to Miami,” Norris told media, including RacingNews365.
The incident, which involved some broken glass, was downplayed by the pilot: “It was just a piece of broken glass and obviously it looks a lot worse than it is, and everyone thought it was horrendous, but it’s just a small cut. I wish it was a more interesting story, but if I can spend a few days with my friends, then I’ll enjoy it.”
Norris also discussed how fame can affect drivers’ private lives, especially when they’re not on duty: “I get recognized everywhere I go, and for every driver, you get recognized a lot, especially with things like ‘Drive to Survive.’ and it’s not specifically race fans who recognize you.”
He reflected on the challenges of being a public figure. “It’s definitely worse than it was a few years ago, and would you like to be seen less? Yes, but it’s part of it and I have nothing to complain about”, expressed Norris.
The pilot showed understanding for the challenges of being recognized in public, but also recognized the advantages of his position: “Sometimes when you are having dinner or with your family, I think you would like to be less noticed, you always feel like there are some eyes on you. But I’m sure it’s much worse for people who are even more famous, and I’m sure a lot of people would like to be in Formula 1 – so you win some and you lose some.”
Download our official app to Android It is iPhone and receive notifications of the latest news.
