The Brazilian Grand Prix concluded at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo. Redbull’s Max Verstapphen was able to miraculously come out on top after starting the race from 17th place due to a dramatic weekend qualifying, and arguably, a lucky break.

In turn, McLaren’s Lando Norris, who started the race in P1, lost the lead early on and finished in sixth place behind Fararri’s Charles Leclerc. This turn of events further secures Verstapphen’s lead on Norris in the Drivers Championship Race The two drivers are now separated by 62 points.

Tension between these two drivers is rightfully higher than ever considering the competitive championship battle that they have been taking part in, but comments made by Norris after the race seemed to spark anger in many Formula 1 fans.

“It shouldn’t have been red flagged. That was the crash in the end which caused the red so that’s life sometimes. You take a gamble and it’s paid off for them. It’s not talent, it’s just luck,” Norris told reporters after the race.

Former athletes and avid sports watchers may look at this comment and not see a problem with it, so why are so many fans upset by it? A possible explanation can be that Formula 1 fans need to calm down and remember that racing is meant to spark emotions and showcase competitiveness between athletes, not appease people who think every racer must be best friends both in life and on the track.

Threats, mean comments, and insults have been thrown Norris’ way at the conclusion of the press conference. Social media accounts and X replies were swamped with backlash, which is shocking considering we are talking about a comment made by a driver in reference to his season rival.

The McLaren driver did not deserve this amount of criticism, but the situation does further prove how some F1 fans may rely too much on the personal relationships of the drivers instead of the athletic aspect of the sport. Spectators need to remember that what is said after a race is not meant to adhere to the feelings of fans, but to instead give a real and raw perspective of the events that occurred on the track.

Drivers have always made questionable comments about their rivals. It’s time for fans to start enjoying the competitive atmosphere, instead of spamming threats on social media when someone says something that makes them upset.

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