LAndo Norris took his maiden Formula One victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday. It may have taken quite a while for a driver of such talent, but there’s no doubt it was a win. This well-deserved victory is the culmination of a 19-year journey that is about to end.
Norris is well-respected and well-liked throughout the paddock, with the lovable 24-year-old regularly joining the team on clean-up duties and considered a “friend and driver” by his mechanics. The initial but accurate assessment is that this victory could not have happened to a better man.
The McLaren driver took a superb victory in Florida, his first in 110 starts, and believes he has fully proved those who doubted his ability against world champion Max Verstappen and The one who wishes is wrong. It was a straightforward race and the Dutchman finished comfortably in second place.
Norris’ F1 journey could have easily been derailed. As a child he followed Rossi in MotoGP and his mum Cisca and dad Adam believed it was a phase he was going through but gave him a quad bike for his fifth birthday Gift.
When we were talking about his life and career for my book F1 Racing Confidential, he told me: “They gave me a red plastic quad bike and it’s one of the earliest memories of my life. “I loved it, but they sold it after a few months because it was too dangerous. Mom and Dad didn’t like seeing me turning on two wheels. What they didn’t tell me was that one day I just came from school Came back and it was gone and I was in tears for days because I really loved that bike.
After the tears dried, Norris continued to pressure his parents, who let him get a 50cc motorcycle to ride in the garden. The six-year-old then went to the Clay Pigeon Kart track in Dorset and was hooked.
His passion for karting still remains with him, such as the donation of a racing suit by another driver’s father.
“It’s one of those moments when you’re young and you get something and you never want to let it go,” he said. “Even though it was smelly and old, I still slept in it. The boots were too big but I would wear them all day around the house and they were great. We still have them, my dad kept them because they were My first competition suit.
These years have also shown us how determined Norris is. He took to social media to criticize his ability and competitiveness, but even as a child he was not lacking in courage.
He admits he was bullied on the British Karting Championship circuit when he was younger, smaller and lighter, but as he grew older and owned a competitive kart, the wins started coming. At age 13, he decided that this was not only something he enjoyed, but something he could actually pursue. This time his parents supported him.
After karting, Formula Renault and F3 were successful in F4. McLaren spotted him early and took him on as a junior and simulator driver in 2017 when he was just 16 years old. The first F1 practice session at Monza in 2018 saw Norris sign a deal that would enable him to join F1 in 2019.
His rise was so rapid that some questioned McLaren’s commitment to him. But Norris did much more than that. He rose from rookie to team leader, becoming a confident, experienced driver who helped the team move forward and fearlessly competed alongside the best in the sport. Lewis Hamilton admits he is a fair but formidable competitor and although victory on debut remains elusive, Norris is not giving in.
While serving as a reserve driver, he would join the mechanics and help dismantle the cars after races, establishing friendships and relationships that continue to this day. Before the win in Miami, his No. 2 mechanic, Frazer Burchell, said he felt Norris could never be ruled out trying something special. How right he was.
Burchell was responsible for holding the front jack as Norris’ car entered the pits – a brave job that required a huge amount of trust between mechanic and driver – and strapped Norris to the car before the race. . Few are better qualified to judge than F1’s latest winner.
“I’ve known him since he was a junior driver at McLaren,” Burchell said. “Lando was 19 when he was first signed for the reserves, so he would come in as an unknown at weekend games and in the evenings when we would go out he would come out and have dinner with us. He was unique and if his flight was with us That same night, he would often go into the garage and help dismantle the car.
“He would talk to us and relax, he wouldn’t sit in the cab or go back to the hotel, he would happily come into the garage and be with us. So we all considered him a friend and a driver.
This is no small compliment and huge recognition for a driver who has the potential to become a world champion. Burchell was at the front when Norris climbed out of his car into the arms of his crew in Miami. Everyone at McLaren understandably celebrated the occasion with great joy.
They haven’t won since Monza in 2021 in more than a decade of struggle, and it may be a while before the Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium takes the smell of champagne out of the celebrations.
The party continued late into the night, but that might just be the beginning. The first win is always the toughest, and now that Norris has that figured out, more wins are sure to follow.
