Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images
The Hungarian Grand Prix kicked off with some playful trolling of Lando Norris courtesy of a former teammate
On Sunday Spain defeated England 2-1 to capture the Euro 2024 tournament.
That victory has now spilled over to the Formula 1 world.
Thursday was media day at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the drivers and teams arriving in the paddock in Budapest for their media duties. As each driver arrived, they found a personalized parking space waiting for them.
However British driver Lando Norris — who attended the final — found a hand-written message on his placard, referencing the score of the Final with the message “Viva Espana:”
With two Spanish drivers on the grid, there were a few suspects. One of those drivers, Fernando Alonso, was part of the FIA Press Conference and was playfully questioned regarding the message.
But Alonso deflected blame, pointing the finger elsewhere. “Not me. No, not me,” said Alonso. “There is another Spanish driver, so yeah. Not me, for sure.”
Moments later, the gig was up.
That it was Carlos Sainz Jr. should not be a surprise, given the years Norris and Sainz spent together at McLaren. The two were teammates for two years at McLaren, and “Carlando” remains a favorite pairing among F1 fans.
Sainz even referenced that nickname during the British Grand Prix:
That friendship might have taken a back seat during the Euros, however.
