Celebrities aren’t exactly a rare sight in and around the paddock of a Formula 1 race, but some faces are so notable that they transcend motorsport and, quite possibly, celebrity itself. Ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, it looks like several drivers have been blessed with the presence of true internet meme royalty: Hide the Pain Harold.
Real name András István Arató, “Harold” is a Hungarian retired electrical engineer and former stock image model with a smile that never appears to extend to his eyes. In the early 2010s, Harold’s stock pictures (often of him sitting in front of a laptop holding up a cup of coffee) took off as one of the most recognizable internet memes, becoming an entire generation’s shorthand for “thinly veiled despair.”
Coincidently (or not), “thinly veiled despair” is also a pretty apt way of describing what it’s like to be a supporter of Lando Norris these days, the McLaren F1 driver currently in second place in the World Driver’s Championship, trailing defending champ Max Verstappen by a so-close-yet-so-far 59 points.
On paper, it’s not a bad position to be in. But a track record of fumbling it from the front, increasing pressure from teammate Oscar Piastri who doesn’t seem all that interested in Lando’s championship, and perplexing team strategy on McLaren’s part all mean that success this season is far from guaranteed despite the dominating rocketship Lando finds himself in week after week.
Anywho, a dozen internet brownies for the person who posts the best F1-related Harold meme in the comments. Here’s one from me to get started:
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