Lando Norris has a peculiar answer for what was the first thing he drove that started his journey into F1

McLaren driver Lando Norris has revealed that the first thing he drove when he was young was a lawnmower. Since making his debut in the 2019 season, the British driver has become one of the best on the grid in the 2024 season as he is contesting for a world championship against Max Verstappen this year. His progress behind the four wheels has been highly publicized given his successful junior career, where he won multiple titles.

In a recent Q&A session with F1.com, Norris pointed out that he didn't start his driving career in a kart as he was more fascinated by the lawnmower and would even do the chores so that he got a chance to drive it. He spoke about a cheeky trick that he used to make the lawnmower operational.

"I used to drive the lawnmower. I used to go out and cut the grass every day, just so I could drive the lawnmower! But there was like a weight limit to start the engine, so I had to always go to the gym and get the 10kg dumbbells, which were basically a third of my body weight back then," Lando Norris said.

"I had to put them on the seat with me, then sit on them, to allow me to actually start it and drive it. So, it all started on a lawnmower!"

Norris further revealed he felt closer to his former teammate Carlos Sainz and Red Bull driver Verstappen with a slight difference in the dynamic while getting to know Sainz personally when they were teammates in 2019 and 2020.

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Lando Norris picks Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz as his closest friends

The 24-year-old McLaren driver Lando Norris further spoke about his time with his championship rival, Max Verstappen in the junior categories in 2019 and 2020. He said in the aforementioned Q&A session:

"I mean, I’ve worked and probably been closest to Carlos, but for people that I’ve not worked with, I’m probably closest to Max, I would say. Just because we kind of grew up together, ish, we knew of each other many, many years ago, 2012, 2013," Lando Norris said.

"I’ve never actually worked with Max or been on the same team or anything like that, but I’ve always had a good, respectful relationship with Max. Carlos is the one that I’ve been teammates with, I kind of know probably personally more than anyone else, even his cousin and that kind of thing."

Despite racing in a category below Verstappen, Norris and the Dutch driver have shared a friendly and respectful equation throughout their careers which is reflected in their title fight this year. Meanwhile, his friendship with Sainz continues even after their time as teammates ended post-2020 as both are often spotted together on and off the track.