It was a weekend of drama, roars, and a few jeers at Monza as Lando Norris found himself at the center of the Italian Grand Prix crowd’s mixed reaction.
Despite a strong second-place finish behind Max Verstappen, the Briton admitted he was puzzled by the boos that met him on the podium – though he insists the cheers meant more.
The scene was set when McLaren executed a tactical pitstop strategy in the closing stages of the race that didn’t quite go as planned. Norris, who held second for most of the race, fell to third after a sluggish stop, with Piastri briefly taking the position after pitting a lap earlier.
In a bid to remedy the unfairness of the situation, the McLaren pitwall instructed Piastri to hand the runner-up position back to Norris, ensuring the Briton’s second-place finish.
A Swap That Sparked the Noise
The move, though, didn’t sit well with the Italian fans, who let their disapproval be known as Norris stepped onto the podium.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know why [I was being booed],” Norris confessed after stepping down from the rostrum.
“So, I heard them, but, yeah, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I heard the cheers louder than the boos and that’s most important.”
For the McLaren star, the support outweighed the criticism, and he wasn’t about to let a few jeers ruin his day. Norris also defended McLaren’s decision, acknowledging that team orders are part of the game.
"We are not idiots and we have plans for different things," he explained. "If there were four cars between me and Oscar, of course he is not going to let me back past and that is correct.
“But if there is a situation where we are racing and you can be fair, you would expect to be fair as a team."
His teammate, Piastri, echoed this sentiment, calling the swap a "fair decision" and expressing no regrets about following the team’s call.
Verstappen Soaks Up the Tifosi’s Love
While Norris faced mixed reactions, race winner Max Verstappen was bathed in adoration from the Monza crowd.
The Red Bull driver, who clinched a commanding victory, was serenaded with the catchy ‘33 Max Verstappen’ song by Carte Blanq and Maxx Power as fans celebrated below the podium.
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The typically unemotional Dutchman was visibly moved by the spectacle, describing it as one of the season’s highlights.
“I think already in Imola it was pretty similar. It’s just nice to see that support,” Verstappen said.
“Of course, most of them are here to support Ferrari – unfortunately they were not on the podium. But to see that crowd was incredible.
“Honestly, it’s probably the best podium in the season in terms of what you see and how big the crowd is. They were very joyful, I would say, just having a good time, and it was nice to be part of it.”
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