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30 Jan 2024 14:00

Welcome to the 100 Club

Over 100 races and even more memories, but we told Lando he could only choose five

Lando hit a century of Formula 1 races in 2023, and having recently signed a fresh multi-year deal to remain with McLaren, is embarking on his next 100.

It seems scarcely believable that it’s been five seasons and more than 100 races since Lando first lined up on the Formula 1 grid. It feels like yesterday that he signed his first McLaren contract in 2017 to become our Test and Simulator Driver ahead of embarking on a European Formula 3 challenge, being described by CEO Zak Brown as a “fantastic prospect”. He’s come a long way since then.  

A lot was expected of the British prospect when he then stepped up to F1 in 2019, and in the five years since, he’s delivered memorable moments aplenty and transformed into one of F1’s fastest, smartest, most consistent and loveable drivers. His ascent from McLaren junior to McLaren star is the dream journey and has become the blueprint for our newly created Driver Development programme.

Ahead of his 100th race at last year’s US Grand Prix in Austin, we asked Lando for his five favourite moments since making his debut in March 2019, here’s what he selected…

Lando at his debut F1 race, the 2019 Australian Grand Prix

Lando at his debut F1 race, the 2019 Australian Grand Prix

A star is born

Lando was one of three rookies making their debuts in the 2019 Australian Grand Prix, stepping up to motorsport’s top tier from Formula 2 along with George Russell and Alex Albon, who had finished either side of him in the 2018 F2 Championship.

At 19 years old, Lando was the youngest of the three but started the strongest, making it into Q3 at the first time of asking and qualifying in eighth. His first race start wasn’t quite so straightforward, as he dropped out of the top 10, but he got stuck into an enjoyable battle with Antonio Giovinazzi and beat the Alfa Romeo driver to 12th.

“I can’t remember all of my debut race, but I can remember a lot of it,” Lando says. “I can remember being on the grid, the nerves, and having so many things to remember. We practised that situation so many times in pre-season testing, but having to remember my stop laps, the plan for the race, and things like that added a lot of nerves, and that’s what I really remember.

“Then I remember being on the grid, lights out and the run down to Turn 1. It was not my best start, I don’t think, but a good memory. It was exciting, and doing it for the first time is special. I wouldn't say my first race was my favourite, it is cool and memorable, but it is nothing compared to a podium or a pole.”

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Lando at his memorable debut race in Melbourne

The first of many

Speaking of which…

Then McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl said after the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix: “I didn’t expect that he could pull off that lap at the very end, but obviously he had a strategy in mind.” Eleven podiums on, Lando’s first remains one of his most impressive, secured thanks to a stunning final lap.

Anyone listening to Lando’s radio will have heard Will Joseph utter the mysterious codeword, Scenario 7, in the closing laps, which gave Lando the extra oomph he needed as went on to achieve the race’s fastest lap on his final tour of the Red Bull Ring, going an entire second faster than he’d managed all race.

“I remember the whole thing,” Lando says. “I got past [Sergio] Perez at Turn 3, I was driving as quickly as I could. The gap to Lewis [Hamilton] at that point was quite big, but I knew that he had a five-second time penalty and that I needed to push as hard as I could. This is where Scenario 7 happened.

“There were no fans there, which is the disappointing thing, but to see the whole team, to spray some champagne – that was my first time in quite a while - was very nice.”

The podium was on track at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, but that didn't stop the champagne from flowing

The podium was on track at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, but that didn't stop the champagne from flowing

First in line

On the back of our first race win for nine years at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, the team went into the Russian Grand Prix full of confidence, and Lando duly delivered on that excitement with his first pole in Formula 1.

Lando had been two seconds down on the leader after his previous attempt but put it all on the line to take P1 in tricky conditions, becoming Britain’s youngest polesitter in the process.

“It was an intermediate qualifying on a drying track,” Lando recalls. “There was one run on slick tyres in Q3, in conditions that I have always enjoyed since karting: slick tyres and that element of taking so much risk. You know that if it goes a little bit wrong, it is pretty much a guarantee you are going to be in the wall or crashing out.

“It is about who is going to take the biggest risk, basically, in every corner. The risk is a tyre's width, and if you go a little bit too wide, you're in the water. It is scary conditions in a way, but I remember my lap and the thought of 'don't mess it up'. I knew we had the chance of getting a good result.

“Crossing the line and getting told that I was P1 was super exciting, it put a big smile on my face. My first pole in Formula 1 was a good one.”

Lando became Britain's youngest polesitter at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix

Lando became Britain's youngest polesitter at the Russian Grand Prix

Home hero

It felt like everyone in the country stood up all at once at the start of the 2023 British Grand Prix.

After a difficult start to the season, a significant upgrade to the MCL60 ahead of Silverstone appeared to have put Lando and Oscar in a position to challenge at the sharp end after some productive free practice sessions, but nobody quite expected them to qualify in second and third.

Nor did they expect Lando to leap ahead of runaway championship leader Max Verstappen at the start of the race to lead his first British Grand Prix. Lando hung on to first until Lap 4 and ended the race in second place after a brilliant battle with fellow home hero Lewis Hamilton.

“Silverstone was one of the coolest, most exciting races,” Lando recalls. “One, because it is Silverstone, my home race, with the fans and the atmosphere, but then, of course, because of the podium. Getting my first podium of the year and having the turnaround we had to get to that point was quite incredible. It was just very special. It was my first [podium] in front of a home crowd.

“To hear everyone chanting my name, cheering for me, and seeing so many McLaren fans, it is one of those times that you remember looking up to as a kid. You really feel like you are in the moment when you are there, it is a very special feeling.” 

Silverstone 2023

Lando celebrates on the podium at the 2023 British Grand Prix

Success is best when it’s shared

Lando has had countless unforgettable on-track moments during his 100 races, but just as enjoyable are the relationships he’s built off-track with his teammates, from the engineers and mechanics to his fellow drivers, he’s always had a unique bond with the team.

Was Jarv really crying? Who is better at golf, Lando or Zak Brown? What happened to the space hopper Daniel struck Lando in the face with? And when is Round 2 of Twister taking place with Oscar?

“There have always been filming days and things that we have done with Carlos [Sainz], Daniel [Ricciardo] and Oscar,” he says. “There are moments you don't even see on camera when we are not filming. We have had great laughs.

“It is about sharing these experiences with different teammates and people, which is what always makes it a lot of fun. I wouldn’t say there aren't any specific off-track moments I would name, but just time with my three teammates and the team, sharing my experiences with them."

Teammate Highlights

Here’s to another 100

Lando’s first 100 races have been special, but with Andrea Stella and his new-look Technical team in place, the continually improving car, and the ever-growing Papaya Army, the future promises to be even better.

“After completing my first 100, it has got to be a step up from everything that we have achieved so far, that next bracket of success, which is hopefully winning some races and competing for more race wins and podiums,” Lando says. “I think this year has been our strongest so far in terms of actually competing on genuine pace for race wins and podiums.

“Previously, it was every now and then. It was a one-off strong race, or maybe we had gotten lucky. Now, we are actually competing.

Lando 100th race helmet

Lando's special edition helmet to celebrate his 100th F1 race

“Over the next 100, it is about achieving more success with the team, sharing more moments, creating more memories and taking some gold trophies instead of silver or bronze ones - that is my target.

“We have had a great five years together, but there are hopefully many more to come in papaya with the Papaya Army cheering us on every weekend.”

What is your favourite Lando Norris moment? Vote below and tell us why on X using #FansLikeNoOther.