Fans save F1 star Lando Norris after embarrassing moment in rare Lamborghini
Lando Norris found another prize to be Formula one winner after failing to start his classic Lamborghini on the streets of Monte Carlo with fans coming to his rescue.
The 24-year-old McLaren driver, who celebrated his first Formula One victory in Miami on May 5, found himself stranded after taking his beloved Miura sports car for a spin in the Mediterranean principality.
The Briton told reporters at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Thursday that more people started noticing him after Miami, but he still went out to dinner and drove around like before.
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The Miura, produced by Lamborghini from 1966 to 1973, is a prized possession, but unfortunately one whose rare beauty and impressive price are matched by reliability.
“It didn’t start,” said Norris, one of the most popular drivers whose collection of cars has become familiar to many on social media.
“But then the fans recognized me and pushed my car and set it on fire down the hill. So I was like mega,” he laughed.
“Maybe if I didn’t win the race, they wouldn’t have noticed me, they wouldn’t have started it. So those are the perks in life. People can start your car for you in the Miura. Such things.
Norris also spoke about his response to critics on social media who replaced their “winless Lando” taunts by focusing on interviews in which he talked about chasing titles.
Until Miami, Norris held the F1 record for most podium finishes without a win.
“I looked through all the comments, liking all the bad ones,” he grinned.
“It says ‘this guy has one win and his ego is blown.’ I liked that. I thought yes, there is.
“You can’t please everyone. I look at it because I try not to be anyone’s bad guy. But if I’m not confident, people say ‘you don’t have faith in the team’.
“And the moment I say we can win more races, which I already said at the beginning of the year, people are like, ‘calm down cool.’
Norris said he’s not arrogant or pretending to be invincible, but he wants to motivate his engineers, mechanics and teammates.
“They want to read what I’m saying. And I understand that now more than I did a few years ago,” he said. “Winning motivates them more, and my confidence in them motivates them more, so I have to say the right things.”