“My ear’s fine. Thanks for asking!”
Lando Norris has explained how he ended up walking directly into a blast of fireworks during his Brazilian GP podium celebrations, just moments after smashing his champagne bottle.
The McLaren driver escaped injury despite sparks hitting his face and ear, prompting questions about why he appeared to walk straight into the display.
Speaking on Twitch, Norris revealed he had been temporarily blinded by champagne.
“My ear’s fine. Thanks for asking!” he said.
“The problem is, everyone’s like, why did you walk into it? It’s because I got sprayed with champagne in my eyes, so then I couldn’t see anything.
“I didn’t know where I was going. I don’t think people realise how much it hurts and stings having the champagne in your eyes.”
“All of a sudden, it just gets pretty warm on my ear. I couldn’t see it, so I just felt it, though. I was already in shock that my bottle broke for the first time in my life.”
The sparks came from a cold pyrotechnic display, with Norris escaping unharmed.
McLaren boss Andrea Stella, meanwhile, praised Norris’ driving in the difficult conditions at Interlagos.
“When Lando is performing at his best, he’s definitely one of the best drivers on the grid,” he said.
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