Formula 1 | Norris and the Dark Side of Popularity: ‘There are some obnoxious or weird fans’

Lando Norris was voted second most popular driver in the discipline by F1 fans. It must be said that his status as a rising star, with his sympathy and his accessibility on social networks, have made the McLaren driver one of the darlings of fans, especially young.

However, Lando also knows that he must not be ignited … And he does not feel overwhelmed by fame, nor « too famous » for his age at the moment.

“I’m not Lewis Hamilton yet. I’m not a seven-time world champion and known for a lot of other things like him. He’s also popular outside of Formula 1. I wouldn’t say I’m close to that level. « 

“But of course with the polls that came out the other day being the second most popular… there are a lot of things the fans love me for, which is different from other drivers. « 

“It’s OK for now. Sometimes it’s a little too much, but it’s always a good thing to have. « 

Because popularity has a ransom: sometimes, Lando Norris is harassed, annoyed, arrested in public in a sometimes unpleasant way. Not all fans are necessarily well-meaning.

« The only bad thing is personal life with friends, people who through no fault of their own end up in the spotlight because they’ve been seen with me or because I’ve had them. followed on social media. « 

“This is the worst part of it: someone who is quiet and who is seen with me at dinner or on a post on Instagram. There are still a lot of mean, nasty fans, a lot of fans who just aren’t nice and just use a lot of people and things like that. « 

“I would say that’s the worst thing about popularity, it’s those kinds of people. People who don’t respect your personal life at all and people you hang out with etc. This is certainly the worst part. « 

From time to time, it is even the friends of Lando Norris who are directly contacted, even harassed, in the hope that they deliver some indication on the agenda or behind the scenes of the life of the McLaren driver …

“It’s a lack of respect for someone who, through no fault of their own, has no choice. It’s the only thing I really hate about the position I’m in now. « 

As for those investigating his life, from social networks, Lando Norris does not know what to think …

“It’s very, very weird. Honestly, it’s very scary what some people do. The time they spend trying to investigate things or people or whatever. « 

“I just laugh and find it very funny, but it’s very weird. It’s just weird. « 

“Sometimes if I’m just having dinner with friends… honestly, I don’t mind when people come and do it. Of course, it might not be the nicest thing when you’re in the middle of dinner and people come over and say “Can I have a quick pic please?”. « 

“But I feel like I can’t say no! I feel like they would hate me and not be my fans anymore. I hate to say no it’s a problem sometimes maybe I should start saying no a little more often. But I have a hard time doing it. « 

And Lando Norris was even stopped by a fan while he was … in the toilet at the urinal!

“I’ve had this one before, it’s really embarrassing. « 

“When they look at me, it’s like, OK that’s weird. Then they look again, because it happens a lot, you’re there and they look again, you turn around, there’s this huge awkwardness. « 

« Then they’re here talking to you, you’re like, ‘oh, damn’. » « 

Wouldn’t Lando Norris like to be less recognized sometimes in public?

« There isn’t a lot you can do other than not go out! » There are things you can do to be a little more hidden, out of the limelight. « 

“But it’s part of the process, not just for Formula 1 drivers, but also for people who are becoming famous and a little more popular in the sport they play. «