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By Staff Reporter 
14h ago
LONDON – McLaren’s Lando Norris publicly apologized on Tuesday, but without naming anyone, after the Briton downplayed compatriot Lewis Hamilton’s 92nd Formula One victory at Sunday’s Portuguese Grand Prix.
The 20-year-old, the youngest driver on the grid, had also been highly critical of Racing Point’s Canadian Lance Stroll after the two collided during the race.
Norris finished 13th as stewards punished Stroll for the incident.
“I owe you an apology,” Norris told his 750,000 Twitter followers. “I have been stupid and careless with some things that I have said lately in the media and interviews, and I have not shown the respect that I should have to certain people.
“I’m not that kind of person, so I know I should apologize to them, but also everyone who is reading / listening. Sorry.”
Norris was asked after the race in television interviews what he thought of Hamilton becoming the most successful F1 driver in terms of wins, beating Ferrari’s great Michael Schumacher in the record books.
“I’m happy for him, nothing more,” the British had responded.
“It doesn’t mean anything to me, really. He’s in a car that should win every race, basically.
“He has to beat one or two drivers, that’s all. Fair play for him, he’s still doing the job he has to do.”
Hamilton has won eight of the 12 races this season and is heading to a record-setting seventh title, confirming him as the most successful driver in the history of the sport.
The Brit has averaged 10 wins per season in the V6 turbo hybrid era that began in 2014.
Mercedes has won the last six constructors’ championships and is set to clinch a seventh in Italy next weekend.
Norris, who made his Formula One debut last year, has made 33 starts so far with a podium. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Reuters
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