Lando Norris Booed All Weekend at Mexico GP After Monza Fallout

It wasn’t the reception Lando Norris expected in Mexico City. As thousands of fans packed into the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, boos echoed through the grandstands every time the McLaren star appeared, from qualifying to Sunday’s podium celebrations. 

F1 photographer and content creator Kym Illman revealed in his latest video that the booing began as early as Saturday. “He was the only driver to be booed,” Illman said. “Last year, Max Verstappen was on the receiving end of those boos, but not this year. They were cheering Max, cheering Lewis, cheering Oscar and Charles Leclerc. They were the darlings.”

But this time, the jeers were directed squarely at Norris. 

The Monza Controversy That Sparked It All

According to Illman, the anger dates back to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where Oscar Piastri was instructed to give a position back to Norris late in the race. Many fans, particularly those in Latin America, saw it as unfair, a move that handed Norris an easy advantage in the championship. 

During the post-race press conference in Mexico, a local journalist confronted Norris about it, saying fans were angry that Piastri “had to give the place back” in Monza. The journalist even asked Norris if he would “return those points.”

Norris reportedly laughed off the question. “How would you give the points back? What, ring up the FIA and say, ‘Hey, can you just take a couple of points off me and give them to Oscar?’ That’s never going to happen,” he joked. 

Illman added, “That’s why the fans were angry and booed Lando at every opportunity.”