When did Lando Norris Join F1

When did Lando Norris Join F1

Lando Norris, a British racing driver has made his way into Formula 1 as one of the youngest and most promising competitors. His fascinating story from being a junior driver to becoming a key driver at McLaren is quite the journey. In 2019, Norris made his Formula One debut with Carlos Sainz Jr. He quickly became a bright talent in the sport, winning his first podium at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix and his first pole position at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix.

Lando Norris' breakthrough win came in 2024 when he scored his first win in a career during the Miami Grand Prix, and he then followed with more wins in the Netherlands and Singapore. As of October 2024, Norris stands second in the driver standings with three race wins, six pole positions, 10 fastest laps, and 24 podiums, with a recent extended contract Norris will be racing for McLaren through the end of the 2027 season.

When did Lando Norris Join the F1?

Lando Norris began his Formula 1 journey in February 2017 when McLaren took him on as their junior driver. At the time, CEO of McLaren Zak Brown hailed Norris as a "fabulous prospect," and it said much about the team's estimation of him. Late in the season, Norris completed his planned half-season test with McLaren, impressing as much as anything by laying down the second-best lap of the second day at the Hungaroring. By the end of 2017, Norris graduated to become the official test and reserve driver for the 2018 season, no doubt a step forward in his professional journey. He had his first official practice during the Belgian Grand Prix, where he completed 26 laps. He ended up driving in six practice sessions throughout the year, an experience that proved invaluable for him.

Norris improved significantly in his sophomore season in 2020. He qualified fourth in the season opener in the Austrian Grand Prix but started third due to Lewis Hamilton's grid penalty. He took the chance and became the third-youngest driver to secure a podium in the history of F1, finishing third. Throughout the season, Norris consistently showed his quality, winning quite a few top scores, and becoming the first graduate from their junior scheme to take a podium as he finished third in Britain's event. His consistency paid off at the end of the season as Norris finished ninth in the drivers' championship with 97 points. The score for McLaren helped it claim third place in the constructors' championship.

In 2021, Norris showcased his quality again as he teamed up with Daniel Ricciardo. He finally achieved his first pole position during the Russian Grand Prix and showed much pace for variable weather. This season also saw him finish on the podium multiple times. A second place in the Italian GP was more memorable when McLaren registered its first one-two finish since 2010. He completed the season with the finish in the drivers' championship at the sixth position with a career-high total of 160 points confirming his good development and competitiveness in sport.

Norris agreed to a contract extension with McLaren in February 2022, so he should stay there at least until the end of the 2025 season. Drivers, Ricciardo and Norris both got off to slow starts for the season, neither able to crack into a points position until late on in the races. Still, Norris played some comeback magic on the last day of stage two, crossing the checkered flag in third place in the Emilia Romagna GP. It proved to be the only podium finish of the season for McLaren. A not-so-great year still saw the driver put up an impressive seventh in the championship with 122 points, well ahead of teammate Ricciardo.

Norris had another season with McLaren in 2023 and thus was paired up with rookie Oscar Piastri at the start of the year. He had a good bounce back after reliability problems at an early stage in the season, scoring successive sixth positions followed by a run of strong runs. With upgrades galore on the car, Norris again produced great performances, the most notable being securing successive podiums at the British and Hungarian Grand Prix.

So far in the 2024 season, Lando Norris has recorded three race wins at the Miami Grand Prix, Dutch Grand Prix, and Singapore Grand Prix. He had secured four podium finishes and done well with six top-five and eight pop-10 finishes in the season so far. He has further proven his speed with one pole position and two fastest laps. Competing in the championship race with a total of 279 points, puts him in the 2nd place standings right behind Max Verstappen, establishing himself as a serious contender for the drivers' championship.