Lando Norris, back in 2020, won fans’ hearts by being his candid self out on the track in Mugello. His witty humor attracted admirers, and not to mention, his chemistry with then-teammate Carlos Sainz was also a reason for fans to root for him.
Sainz made the song “Smooth Operator,” sung by Sade, famous by adopting it as his signature phrase. During the Tuscan GP in 2020, Norris created one of his own. During a free practice session, the Bristol-born driver shouted, “It’s Friday then, Saturday, Sunday, what?”
IT`S FRIDAY THEN,Saturday, Sunday what!
Radio check – Lando Norris pic.twitter.com/mMeKuBcebK— M5 (@millieblues) March 28, 2025
As soon as it aired on the broadcast, Norris’s mere act went viral across all social media platforms. To this day, it is still credited to him. However, the Briton feels embarrassed whenever that memory is brought up.
In a recent video on F1’s YouTube channel, Oscar Piastri sat with teammate Norris for the “Tough Trivia Challenge” in the “It Takes Two” series. The interviewer asked the duo to “complete the lyrics: ‘It’s Friday then…'”
Norris was quick to respond, “I hate this so much.”
On the other hand, Piastri was quick to tease his teammate and ‘left’ the task to Norris. The runner-up in last year’s championship played along and completed the lyrics by singing, “Saturday, Sunday, what?”
Ultimately, Norris issued a statement regarding his five-year-old deed: “To all the people in the world, please never play that song when you see me, thank you very much. Disclaimer, I’ve heard enough of it.”
Surely, seeing Norris’ reaction throughout the 30-second-long segment made it clear that he has had to deal with that song a lot. Like any other person, he feels somewhat embarrassed to revisit that one moment from the past.
Sadly for Norris, that specific chant is etched into the memory of fans and the internet. No matter what happens, he will likely continue to come across the song throughout his career.
Moreover, fans love that moment — so much so that several websites even released merchandise featuring the song in Norris’s name.
Nevertheless, Piastri and Norris showed great partnership here, as the quizmaster confirmed that they did better than most other teams. However, the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan topped the standings with 12 points, four more than the Papaya duo.
If there is going to be rivalry on the track, McLaren can rest assured that the camaraderie between the two is still intact off it.
