British Formula One driver Lando Norris has exchanged frosty words with Mercedes veteran Lewis Hamilton in an awkward cooldown room encounter following the Hungary Grand Prix.
Cameras captured Hamilton, who recovered from an incident with Max Verstappen to record his third podium finish of the season at the Hungaroring, seemingly praising the race pace of Norris and McLaren.
“Ooft, you guys are fast,” the seven-time world champion said.
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Norris, however, appeared to misinterpret Hamilton’s praise as a dig, replying:
“Yeah, well you had a fast car seven years ago.”
“Seven years ago? That’s a long time. Were you even here seven years ago?” Hamilton said.
Norris replied: “well you had it. You had a quick car.”
“You made the most of it. Now it’s us,” the 24-year-old added.
Hamilton was quick to clarify he “wasn’t complaining,” but that he was “complimenting your car.”
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Norris finished second to Australian teammate Oscar Piastri in Hungary after McLaren ordered the Brit to allow his teammate to pass in the race’s closing stages, ensuring Piastri recorded his first ever Grand Prix win.
However, that request didn’t come easy, with Norris standoffish towards team orders, prompting his race engineer, Will Joseph, to plead “I know you’ll do the right thing.”
“Just remember every Sunday morning meeting we have.”
Norris eventually allowed Piastri to pass, though was visibly frustrated by the decision post-race, including on the celebration podium, when he failed to celebrate with his young teammate.
The McLaren driver left the Hungaroring second in the Championship standings, 76 points behind Verstappen, and well in the hunt for a maiden F1 title.
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Norris was reminded of this fact when refusing to allow Piastri to pass, with Joseph explaining “the way to win a championship is with the team.”
Formula One heads to Spa-Francorchamps this week for the Belgian Grand Prix, a race Verstappen, who hasn’t had a race victory since the Spanish Grand Prix, has won in each of the last three years.
Source Agencies
