F1 fans demand Lando Norris follow through on six-year promise after win

07 May 2024 , 11:28

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Lando Norris became an F1 race winner for the first time on Sunday (Image: Getty Images)

Now that he's a Formula 1 race winner, fans want Lando Norris to get his swimming trunks on and live up to a pledge made six years ago.

It took Norris 110 attempts but he finally stood on the top step of an F1 podium on Sunday after winning the Miami Grand Prix. And there could not have been a more popular winner among his peers as rivals from up and down the grid sought out the Briton to congratulate him.

Norris is also very popular among fans and so social media erupted when he took the chequered flag. And a few reminded the 24-year-old that he is on the hook for a promise made in a video released by McLaren in 2018.

As a fresh-faced teenager, Norris was giving fans a video tour of the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. Looking out of the window at the lake at the front of the building, he said: "I guess when I get my first win I jump in."

Norris immediately regretted it and added: "Caught on camera... now I'm going to have to do it." And fans made sure to remind him of what he said after taking the victory in Florida.

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One fan wrote: "I didn't forget about this, he has to do it and we need a whole Landolog about this." Another said: "Think Lando has to jump in the MTC lake, since he got his first win... he did promise!" And several others called upon McLaren to make sure Norris stands by his word.

The more immediate celebrations of his success took place in Miami. Norris spent a long time outside McLaren's hospitality unit in the Hard Rock Stadium revelling in the moment with his colleagues, as champagne corks flew and many team photos were taken.

Later, Norris hit the town with F1 rivals Max Verstappen and Pierre Gasly. They were spotted partying in the exclusive E11EVEN nightclub alongside American sports royalty such as NFL stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes and NBA legend LeBron James.

After his time at the nightclub, Norris returned to the team hotel where he continued the festivities with McLaren colleagues. The morning after, Norris posted on Instagram with the caption: "Recovery one percent, worth it," likely posted with a sore head.

Earlier, when speaking to the media, he had said: "I was meant to fly [tonight], but Zak [Brown, McLaren CEO] just told me we fly tomorrow. I'm not going to sleep - I'm going all the way! I might have just a scratch on my nose tomorrow, but I don't care."

Daniel Moxon