Lando Norris laughs off hair-ruffling moment with FIA president at awards gala
New F1 champion Lando Norris found himself in an awkward spotlight at the FIA Prize Gala when President Mohammed Ben Sulayem ruffled his hair on stage. While both laughed it off with jokes about fines, the gesture sparked a swift online backlash from fans who viewed it as disrespectful or a 'power play,' highlighting the scrutinized dynamics between the sport's governors and its stars.
Newly crowned Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris shared a light-hearted, if slightly awkward, moment with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem at the official prize-giving gala in Tashkent, when the sport's top administrator ruffled the McLaren driver's hair on stage. The gesture, captured during the celebratory ceremony just days after Norris clinched his first title in Abu Dhabi, sparked immediate reaction online, with some fans interpreting it as an unnecessary power play.
Why it matters:
The interaction, occurring at the FIA's most formal annual event, highlights the ongoing scrutiny of the relationship between the sport's governing body and its drivers. While intended as playful, the physical gesture from a senior official toward a champion in a moment of personal triumph was perceived by a segment of the audience as crossing a line of professional decorum, fueling discussions about respect and boundaries within the F1 paddock.
The details:
- The moment occurred as Norris, visibly beaming, took the stage alongside teammate Oscar Piastri and McLaren leadership to accept the championship trophy.
- Upon greeting Norris, President Ben Sulayem reached out and ruffled the driver's meticulously styled hair, prompting Norris to joke, "I hope my hair is not too bad now. I put so much effort into that…"
- Later in his acceptance speech, Norris humorously referenced past team errors, asking, "We had our fair share of mistakes and f**k-ups. Can I say that here?" before looking back at Ben Sulayem and adding, "Oh, sorry, yeah. I got fined. I can pay it off now!"
- The FIA president played along, joking about imposing a "€5000 fine" and suggesting Norris would need the money to fix his hair after the earlier interaction.
Between the lines:
The on-stage banter and laughter contrasted sharply with the swift online backlash. Social media commentary ranged from calling the hair-ruffling "disrespectful" and "crazy" to analyzing it as a deliberate "power move" intended to establish dominance in a public setting. The incident underscores a persistent tension between the formal, hierarchical nature of the FIA and the more personal, media-savvy world of modern F1 drivers, where every gesture is amplified and dissected.
What's next:
While the moment is unlikely to have any formal repercussions, it adds another layer to the ongoing narrative around Ben Sulayem's leadership style and his interactions with drivers. For Norris, the episode was quickly laughed off as part of a celebratory night, but it serves as a reminder that for a world champion, even the most informal moments at official functions are subject to intense public and fan scrutiny.