World champions do not normally level again to a single afternoon in a simulator because the second the whole lot modified. Lando Norris does. And in a brand new video on McLaren’s YouTube channel, he is defined precisely how that occurred.
It began with the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award – a prize arrange in 1989 to reward and recognise promising younger racing drivers from the UK. Right here, he adopted within the footsteps of Jenson Button, David Coulthard and Dario Franchitti. Definitely not unhealthy firm.
Norris entered the 2016 version on the younger age of 16.
“Becoming a member of McLaren all began with profitable the BRDC award. The McLaren BRDC award then, which is without doubt one of the most prestigious awards within the UK. And so they get the highest 4, 5, six drivers to do a contest, and so they try to see – as an instance – who’s the subsequent rising star of Britain.
“And I managed to win, and profitable the award was driving a Method 1 automobile for a day, and was additionally changing into a totally paid sim driver for McLaren.”
This set his relationship with the Woking workforce in movement. Nevertheless it was his time on the simulator that allowed him to construct key relationships inside the F1 workforce as he continued to battle by the junior classes.
He joined the McLaren Driver Growth Programme in February 2017, with Zak Brown calling him “a wonderful prospect”. His first F1 race weekend adopted the subsequent yr as he made his debut in FP1 of the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix.
On the Autosport Awards in January 2026, he obtained the inaugural Autosport Champion award, recognising his journey from profitable the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 2016 all the best way to changing into world champion.
“My hope for the longer term… I believe for anybody to get to drive for McLaren at any level is cool. And I find it irresistible right here. They gave me the chance to return into Method 1 as a younger driver… so I really feel like I owe rather a lot again to McLaren. I really feel fortunate sufficient that I’m in Method 1 and I get to drive in Method 1, and that is my job in some way.”
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