Guenther Steiner hits out at Lando Norris for F1 Coca-Cola spat

Ex-Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has criticised Lando Norris for being unprofessional with his Coca-Cola moment after the Spanish Grand Prix. 

Reigning world champion Norris was involved in a spat in the cooldown room following the race in Madrid when he was seen drinking from a can of Coca-Cola. 

Norris, who finished third at the new Madring circuit, was told off by an official for drinking Coca-Cola before the top three drivers heading to the podium. 

The McLaren driver firmly rejected the request, telling an official: “I just did a race, so I’m allowed to drink what I would lie. Thank you so much.”

While many fans praised Norris and found the viral moment amusing, Steiner was less impressed and felt the 26-year-old Briton should have more professional. 

"If you are a professional, you don't do that. End of story," Steiner told The Red Flags podcast. "You know what you can do and what you cannot do. You're well trained. He shouldn't have done it. 

“Is it a bad thing that he did it? Will somebody get hurt? No. But as a pro, you shouldn't do it. But he has done it. And you know what? I couldn't give a s***.”

Asked if Norris was told off because rival soft drink producers Pepsi is a sponsor of F1, Steiner replied: "It's all going by categories. They sell it and obviously if you don't pay, you cannot have it. And he had a Coke. It was not the smartest thing to do.

"But as I said, I don't care because now, for Coca-Cola, it worked out pretty good. It was pretty good for [Coca-Cola]. If they wouldn't have said anything, nobody would have even noticed, but because it was so bumped up now it's a thing, and now Coca-Cola is laughing."

Norris sits fourth in the drivers' world championship on 186 points, five behind Lewis Hamilton and 106 adrift of points leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli.