Racing Bulls Apologizes for Thumbs-Down Gesture at Norris Podium

Racing Bulls issued an apology on Wednesday after a social media video captured one of its team members making a thumbs-down gesture toward the crowd during Lando Norris's podium celebration at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The incident, which occurred last Sunday at Interlagos in Brazil, drew criticism for appearing to encourage booing of the McLaren driver, who has faced similar fan reactions in recent races.

The footage, filmed from the grandstands, shows the individual in Racing Bulls uniform holding a mobile phone while turning to face fans below the podium. As Norris accepted his winner's trophy amid confetti and scattered boos, the team member repeatedly extended a thumbs-down signal. Seconds later, a colleague intervened by lowering the arm and gesturing to stop the action. The clip quickly spread online, prompting widespread discussion about sportsmanship in Formula 1.

In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Racing Bulls addressed the matter directly. "We're aware of the video from the weekend's podium," the team said. "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...