Coca-Cola scored an unexpected win after the Spanish Grand Prix, with third-placed Lando Norris going viral after snapping back at a Formula One official telling him he could not drink from his can after the race.
He was seen sipping from a can of the soft drink inside the cool-down room, where the top three drivers sit, chat, and watch a short race highlights package before they step out for the podium ceremony.
As part of Formula One’s race broadcast, the goings-on inside the cool-down room are televised, with drivers’ reactions to on-track incidents, overtakes, and conversations offering unique insights to what goes on behind the scenes.
However, the latest instalment has drawn attention after Norris firmly denied F1’s request to put his drink away.
“I just did a race, so I’m allowed to drink what I would like,” he said.
Coca-Cola is a rival brand of F1’s partner PepsiCo, with the New York-based company having the rights to sell and promote its products with F1 – the company signing an agreement with F1 until 2030.
At the circuit, only Pepsi products are offered to fans for purchase and supplied to those working in the paddock, such as inside the media canteens.
Pepsi’s sports hydration brand Gatorade sponsors the F1 Sprint, and its triangular chip brand Doritos has F1-branding on its products sold globally.
Like with other sporting organisations, F1 generally forbids the promotion of rival products during any official broadcast.
However, it’s not the first time Norris has been asked to put a Coca-Cola product away, with the Brit being asked to hide his can of Sprite during the post-race press conference after the 2025 United States Grand Prix.
Much of the online sentiment supported Norris’ response; however, as reported by motorsport.com, former Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner was critical of the World Champion.
“If you are a professional, you don’t do that,” he said.
“You know what you can do and what you cannot do.
“Is it a bad thing that he did it? Will somebody get hurt? No. But as a pro, you shouldn’t do it.”
The attention from this incident has inadvertently provided Coca-Cola with far greater exposure than if Norris had been allowed to drink from his can without protest.
