mobanmarketMcLaren’s Lando Norris was forced to lay aside a special helmet livery that paid tribute to his Belgian heritage as the motif was deemed potentially offensive.
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Norris, whose mother Cisca is Belgian, had whipped up for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa a design that featured a picture of his Belgian grand parents, but also a motif that showcased a rampant lion, or the official symbol of the Flemish community.
However, the emblem is also a political symbol used by a nationalist movement in Flanders. The representation coupled with the fact that the Belgian Grand Prix takes place in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of southern Belgium, was viewed as ill-inspired although Norris insisted he had no idea about the negative or offensive connotation.
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Spa feels like ‘second home Grand Prix’ for Norris
“I wanted a helmet design this weekend to pay tribute to my Belgian roots and my family, in particular my grandparents whose picture I put on the back,” said the McLaren driver.
“I wasn’t aware of the connotations around the use of this particular motif when I designed the helmet but as soon as I was, it was clear that it was inappropriate to continue using it.”
“The helmet was never intended to be a political statement, for me personally it was simply a cool design that paid tribute to part of my heritage,” he added.
“However, I never want to cause division or offence and I understand that using the helmet would have offended many people in Belgium. With that in mind, I’ve decided to go back to my standard helmet.”
As a reminder, Norris isn’t the only driver on the grid who is half-Belgian, with Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll both enjoying a Belgian heritage thanks to their mother.
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