Lando Norris’ status as Silverstone’s boy-band darling is evident across the sprawling, sodden track. “Let’s Go Lando!” banners adorn the grandstands and Netflix-era fans linger at the turnstiles to catch a glimpse of the McLaren man.
With all due respect to his compatriots, the Somerset-born rider is set to be the most popular winner of Sunday’s British Grand Prix. So pressure and attention go hand in hand.
But behind her stunning looks and the financial security that comes with life at 24, Norris would rather stay at home than face fame off the track. She says she has an innate shyness.
“Privacy is one of the most important things, not being able to go unnoticed, doing things where people are not watching,” said Norris, who is second in the championship, 81 points behind Max Verstappen.
‘When I go out to dinner or to a club, I’m still happy doing things that normal people do, but when I wake up in the morning I watch videos of whatever. People assume that because someone came to ask me for a photo, I’m with another girl.’
Lando Norris (pictured) is expected to be a very popular winner at this weekend’s British Grand Prix
But behind his dazzling exterior, the 24-year-old is a shy character who prefers to stay at home than find fame off the track.
Norris suffered a facial injury while partying on a boat in Amsterdam earlier this year.
Much has changed in the life of this self-confessed former hermit. On a salary of more than £20m, he now lives in Monaco, while his rookie self was staying in a flat near the McLaren factory in Woking. And when he cut off his nose earlier in the season during a night out in Amsterdam, photos of his bandaged face lit up social media. His boss and mentor, Zak Brown, whispered something in his ear – not to forbid him his freedom, but to remind him that he is always in the public eye.
His first win in Miami in early May added another dimension to his fame, as did his fine performances in a McLaren good enough to compete on par with Red Bull’s Verstappen. The pair crashed last week in Austria while vying for the lead. Once again, his fame has gone up a notch.
“It’s annoying that everyone has these perceptions that aren’t right and starts assuming or creating things,” Norris says of his private life. “Then I wonder if it’s worth going out now. I just want to stay home.”
‘I’m spending more and more time at home, which I don’t want to do because I want to go out with my friends and have fun.
‘I don’t want this to be perceived as a complaint, as if I’m complaining about my fate, but I don’t want unnecessary stress either. Everything I do is already stressful enough. I still have to perform and do my job every day. As soon as I have a bad day, I get criticized to death; as soon as I make a mistake, I do this wrong, I say this wrong.
Norris’ boss and mentor (left), Zak Brown (right), offered some calming words to the F1 driver after he suffered the nose injury.
Norris, for his part, has remained silent about his marital status, but was spotted with Margarida Corceiro (left) at the Monte Carlo Masters final in April.
Rumours have been growing about a possible relationship between the couple after they have been photographed together on several occasions.
The British host previously admitted he has “a lot of girlfriends” while hooked up to a lie detector.
Corceiro (pictured) is believed to have been present at the Miami Grand Prix where Norris emerged victorious.
But scoring his first win in Miami in early May added another dimension to his renown.
“I have to be perfect. It’s not just about what you say or what you do, it’s about what they see you do.”
For all his regrets about parts of his life, one wonders if his stardom suggests he might let himself go, that his head might outgrow his helmet.
“That’s what I have my friends and the people around me for. It makes me very happy when they tell me that I’m being a complete idiot,” he reveals.
Do they say that often?
-Yes, all the time! No, I can’t say that! They give me a feeling of normality, of a peaceful life.
‘I’ve had a pretty solitary life. That’s because I grew up in the middle of nowhere, in Glastonbury. I wasn’t near a town or a village. I was a loner. I loved going around playing with my Sim all day. I chose that path.
“You don’t stay in a team for more than a year as you grow up, so you never have time to build a connection with anyone. In F1 you don’t know who to trust. It’s a very different lifestyle. You sacrifice a lot to be in this position, which I wouldn’t change.”
He can forget about any sense of calm this weekend as he hopes to build on the brief advantage he had at Silverstone a year ago. His routine is already set. He is staying at the circuit’s new hotel on the Hamilton Straight. He might just walk across the bridge to the paddock.
But instead he makes the long journey to soak up the atmosphere. The orange caps, orange shirts and, on Saturday, orange raincoats are for him, not for Dutch world champion Verstappen.
Much has changed in the life of this once self-confessed hermit, who now lives in Monaco.
But the F1 star can forget about any sense of calm this weekend ahead of Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
Norris (left) tends to take his time to enjoy the atmosphere around Silverstone during the race weekend.
But Norris also spoke of his ambitions to win the British Grand Prix before adding that he appreciates the support.
He humbly admits that he finds it “strange” that people support him for “driving a fast car,” adding that he is just a “normal person.”
Norris says he never dreams, so the prospect of winning his home Grand Prix has never crossed his mind while sleeping, but it now haunts his consciousness.
“I want to do it here more than anywhere else,” he admits. “I want to make sure it turns out perfect and I appreciate the support I get.”
“I just find it strange that I drive a fast car and people support me, I’m a normal person.”
Thus spoke a half-shy hero.
