Racing Bulls have said a clip showing a team member apparently urging fans to boo Lando Norris at the São Paulo Grand Prix “doesn’t reflect our team’s values.” The junior Red Bull outfit said the incident had been dealt with internally and reiterated its belief in celebrating great racing and respecting all drivers, teams and fans.
Norris, who leads the drivers’ standings, has been jeered by segments of the crowd after wins in Mexico City and at Interlagos. After his latest victory — which put him 24 points clear of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri with three rounds remaining — a short video circulated on social media appearing to show a Racing Bulls staffer encouraging booing during the podium ceremony.
In a post on X, Racing Bulls said: “We’re aware of the video from the weekend’s podium. It doesn’t reflect our team’s values or the spirit of VCARB. The matter has been handled internally. We believe in celebrating great racing and showing respect to every driver, team, and fan both on and off the track.”
Racing Bulls are the junior squad associated with Red Bull, McLaren’s principal rival this season and last. While Max Verstappen was Norris’s closest challenger for last year’s title, Verstappen briefly returned to contention this year before recent results largely ended those hopes. McLaren comfortably secured the Constructors’ Championship this season while Racing Bulls are fighting for sixth in the standings, so there is no clear, direct rivalry between the outfits at the team level.
The response from Brazilian fans was less pronounced than in Mexico, where boos led Norris to pause a post-race interview and laugh at his reception. At a subsequent press conference in Mexico a journalist suggested a perception that McLaren had favoured Norris over Piastri — a narrative tied to McLaren’s decision to reinstate Norris ahead of Piastri at the Italian Grand Prix after a problematic pit stop.
Norris has publicly shrugged off the jeers. After his win in Mexico he said the crowd reaction “makes it more entertaining for me” and added that people have the right to express themselves. He has also acknowledged a preference for cheers over boos.
The incidents have not dented Norris’s form: he delivered two of his strongest weekends of the season to expand his championship lead. Formula 1’s title fight now moves on to the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21-23.