Lando Norris commended for his strong reply to Coca-Cola's request following the Spanish GP: "Highlight of the Madrid event."

Fans of Formula 1 have lauded Lando Norris after he dismissed a request from an official to refrain from drinking Coca-Cola in the cooldown room following the Spanish Grand Prix.

The 2025 champion secured a third-place finish in the first race at the Madring circuit, having seen a comfortable lead evaporate due to a poorly timed virtual safety car.

Starting from pole position, Norris had established a solid margin over Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli during the early laps. However, his race took a turn when Aston Martin's Lance Stroll halted at Turn 20.

The virtual safety car was deployed just after Norris had passed the pit entry, necessitating the McLaren driver to complete a slow lap while Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen took advantage of inexpensive pit stops.

Antonelli ultimately clinched victory in the grand prix, widening his lead in the championship.

Post-race, Norris was spotted in the cooldown room enjoying a can of Coca-Cola. Although the drink is a sponsor of McLaren, it is not affiliated with F1, which instead has a partnership with Coca-Cola's main competitor, PepsiCo.

When an official requested that he set the drink aside, Norris firmly replied: "I just did a race, so I'm allowed to drink what I would like. Thank you so much."

Lando Norris, McLaren

This moment quickly spread across social media, with many fans commending the Briton for his reaction.

"THIS is the highlight of the Madring," one fan remarked on Reddit, while another noted: "The irony is their attempt to stop him has drawn so many more viewers to this."

"I love this side of Lando. Kimi learning media skills from Max and Lando will be entertaining," another user posted, and one fan joked: "Max will show up with a six-pack of Red Bull next race. I appreciate this Lando."

"A justified response, after being messed with like that in that DAMNED race," echoed another comment.

Additional remarks included: "Just like that, Lando! Good for him," and "Totally back Lando’s attitude. It was refreshing. He’s exhausted and had a tough day. He’s not promoting products. Let the guy enjoy a little treat."