Lando Norris has taken a light-hearted approach to his preparations for the United States Grand Prix, joking that avoiding journalists is among his main objectives for the Austin weekend. The McLaren driver’s comments follow a series of sarcastic exchanges and incidents that attracted attention during the Singapore Grand Prix.
Norris reveals his unusual plan for the United States Grand Prix
Lando Norris has joked that staying away from the media will be one of his main objectives at the United States Grand Prix, following a Singapore weekend in which his comments attracted considerable attention.
The McLaren driver made the remarks during a recent Twitch livestream, where he was asked about his approach to the upcoming race at the Circuit of the Americas.
Rather than beginning with his expectations for the car or his prospects against Formula 1’s leading competitors, Norris offered an unexpected answer.
“If you really want to know, it’s not talking to the media,” he joked.
The comment appeared to reference his recent interactions with journalists in Singapore, where his sarcastic responses following a collision with teammate Oscar Piastri during the Sprint had generated discussion.
Norris then added two more conventional racing objectives to his list: securing pole position and avoiding contact with other cars.
His remarks amounted to a self-deprecating assessment of what would constitute an ideal weekend in Austin, combining competitive ambitions with an apparent desire to avoid further controversy.
Pole position ambition prompts another sarcastic exchange
Norris’s ambition to start the United States Grand Prix from pole position quickly became the subject of another humorous exchange during the livestream.
After the McLaren driver outlined his objectives, another participant suggested that securing pole might prove particularly difficult.
“The pole position part might be a bit difficult, yeah!” the participant remarked.
Norris responded with a grimace before acknowledging the challenge.
“Yeah, that’s pretty certain,” he replied.
The exchange remained light-hearted, with Norris appearing willing to joke about both his qualifying prospects and the possibility of becoming involved in another on-track incident.
His reference to staying away from other cars also carried particular significance following the Singapore Sprint, where contact between Norris and Piastri had brought McLaren’s internal racing arrangements under renewed scrutiny.
The collision had already generated considerable discussion, while Norris’s subsequent responses to media questions added another dimension to the controversy.
Singapore media exchanges attracted attention
Norris’s comments about avoiding journalists come after a Singapore Grand Prix weekend in which his interactions with the media became a subject of discussion.
Following his collision with Piastri during the Sprint, the British driver delivered several sarcastic responses when questioned about the incident.
Those exchanges contributed to wider scrutiny of his public comments, particularly as McLaren continued to face questions about the relationship between its two drivers and the team’s approach to managing their on-track battles.
Although Norris’s latest remarks were clearly delivered in a humorous setting, they appeared to acknowledge the attention surrounding his recent media appearances.
His Twitch comments suggested a willingness to laugh at the situation rather than offer a serious explanation of his approach to interviews.
The contrast between his ambition to deliver a clean, competitive weekend and his joking desire to avoid journalists formed the central theme of the exchange.
Norris’s joke about Lance Stroll adds to Singapore attention
Norris had also attracted attention away from the circuit during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend after a video filmed inside a nightclub circulated online.
In the footage, the McLaren driver was asked who he considered the best driver in Formula 1.
Rather than naming himself or one of the championship’s leading contenders, Norris jokingly pointed towards Haas driver Oliver Bearman.
He then followed up with another remark.
“Where’s Lance? Where’s Lance?” Norris asked, referring to Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll.
The comment was widely interpreted as a sarcastic dig at the Canadian, although the exchange took place in an informal and apparently relaxed atmosphere.
The video nevertheless attracted attention and added to discussion surrounding Norris’s increasingly sharp sense of humour in public appearances.
Alongside his responses to journalists after the Singapore Sprint, the nightclub footage contributed to the perception that Norris’s off-track remarks were becoming almost as widely discussed as his performances behind the wheel.
Norris looks to refocus on racing in Austin
Despite the attention surrounding his recent comments, Norris’s objectives for the United States Grand Prix remain straightforward from a sporting perspective.
The McLaren driver wants to qualify at the front and avoid the type of contact that complicated his previous race weekend.
His joking reference to avoiding journalists appeared to be an acknowledgment of the media scrutiny that followed him in Singapore rather than a formal indication that he intended to reduce his media commitments.
The Twitch exchange also demonstrated Norris’s willingness to use humour when discussing difficult moments, including his collision with Piastri and the challenges awaiting him in Austin.
With the United States Grand Prix approaching, the British driver will have another opportunity to shift attention back towards his performance on track.
For now, however, Norris has offered a characteristically sarcastic description of his ideal weekend: pole position, no contact with other cars and as little interaction with the media as possible.
