Lando Norris: ‘success is addictive’
About this episode
Lando Norris joins the show to reflect on his journey to becoming an F1 World Champion with McLaren. He shares personal stories about where he keeps his championship trophy, his childhood heroes like Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, and the surreal experience of seeing his own wax figure at Madame Tussauds. Norris also opens up about managing global fame, staying grounded, and his deep connection with his fans at Silverstone's massive "Lando Stand." It is an intimate look at the mindset of a champion who remains fiercely committed to his team.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Lando talks about not being nervous before that season-finale, what it really means to achieve the goal he’s been chasing for so long, how becoming champion has changed him and whether he ever considered ‘doing a Nico Rosberg’ and retiring after winning his first title.
Lando also tells Tom why he doesn’t think he’d be World Champion now had he ignored team orders at Budapest in 2024 and whether he sees himself as a one-team driver with McLaren for the rest of his career. The answer is revealing.
Plus, you’ll hear where Lando keeps his Drivers’ Championship trophy and what he makes of his recently unveiled waxwork at Madame Tussauds.
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McLaren MCL40
"Well, what chance of two names in a row? Talk us through the MCL 40 and... I mean, it's been a sticky start. Pretty good to say that, right?"
This is the extremely fast, high-tech race car that Lando Norris drives in the 2026 Formula 1 world championship.
The McLaren MCL40 is the team's Formula 1 racing car designed for the 2026 season. It features a highly advanced hybrid powertrain and represents the cutting edge of open-wheel aerodynamic engineering under F1's technical regulations.
Plymouth P15
"You don't always have the guy who drove the best and did the best performance when a race. Sometimes you can feel like you've done the best driver in your life when you finished P 10, P 15, P 20, even. So, you know, that's the Formula One."
The Plymouth P15 is a vintage American car built in the late 1940s right after World War II. It was designed as an affordable, reliable family vehicle with a classic rounded body style. It is now considered a vintage collector's car.
The Plymouth P15, produced from 1946 to 1949 as the Deluxe and Special Deluxe, was Plymouth's highly successful post-World War II automobile. It featured a reliable inline-six engine and simple, rugged engineering that helped mobilize post-war America. While flagged due to a transcript misunderstanding of racing positions, it remains a classic piece of American automotive history.
Andrea Stella
"But I also think for me, then I just put the biggest accountability down to Zach, first of all, and Andrea. I honestly think Andrea is one of the most unbelievable people that I've ever met that can run a team..."
The boss of the McLaren Formula 1 team who is highly respected for his calm leadership style and smart engineering background.
An Italian aerospace engineer and the Team Principal of the McLaren Formula 1 team. Stella previously worked as a performance and race engineer at Ferrari for legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, and Fernando Alonso before moving to McLaren.
team orders
"You can easily go back to Budapest a couple of years ago. And Lando, there are five laps to go. The way to win a championship is not by yourself. It's with the team."
When a racing team tells its drivers to stop racing each other and let one teammate pass the other to help the team overall.
Instructions given by racing team management directing drivers to deviate from normal racing to achieve a specific team outcome, such as swapping positions to maximize championship points or maintain team harmony.
Oscar Piastri
"You're going to need Oscar and you're going to need the team. Lando Norris is backing off. He was on the cusp of a second Grand Prix victory. A swap of positions. Oscar Piatri goes back through into the lead of a Grand Prix."
Lando Norris's teammate at McLaren, a very fast and talented young driver from Australia.
An Australian racing driver competing in Formula 1 for McLaren alongside Lando Norris. Piastri is highly regarded as one of the sport's brightest young talents, having won consecutive championships in Formula 3 and Formula 2 before making his F1 debut.
Nürburgring Nordschleife
"On the topic of Max, can I just ask you about the Nurburgring Nordschleife? I know you did some laps in it in a 720S."
A famous, very long, and dangerous race track in Germany that professional drivers and car companies use to test how fast a car can go.
A legendary 12.9-mile (20.8 km) racing circuit in Germany nicknamed 'The Green Hell' by Jackie Stewart. It features over 70 corners, dramatic elevation changes, and is widely considered the ultimate test of a driver's skill and a car's handling dynamics.
McLaren 750S
"I know you did some laps in it in a 720S. Yeah, 750. 750 was it? Okay. How'd you find it?"
An incredibly fast, lightweight British supercar designed to go from 0 to 60 mph in under 2.8 seconds.
The McLaren 750S is a mid-engine supercar powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine producing 740 horsepower. It serves as the successor to the 720S, featuring a lighter chassis, revised aerodynamics, and an updated hydraulic suspension system for razor-sharp track handling.
McLaren 720S
"...Nordschleife? I know you did some laps in it in a 720S. Yeah, 750."
The McLaren 720S is a British two-seat supercar designed to go extremely fast on both public roads and race tracks. It features doors that open upwards and a highly aerodynamic body shape. It is built by McLaren, a company famous for building Formula 1 racing cars.
The McLaren 720S is a mid-engine supercar produced from 2017 to 2023, renowned for its carbon-fiber construction and relentless twin-turbo V8 performance. It set new benchmarks for supercar speed and track capability, making it a frequent point of comparison for high-performance driving. The car is discussed here in the context of hot laps around the demanding Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.
slicks
"Yeah, I think it was my first in that I did. I mean, it was raining on slicks. I think I entered the car 12th and I came out..."
Racing tires that are completely smooth with no grooves, designed to grip dry tracks as tightly as possible.
Smooth racing tires without tread patterns used in dry-weather conditions. They maximize the contact patch with the asphalt to provide significantly higher grip, but lose all traction in wet conditions due to hydroplaning.
Triple Crown of Motorsport
"but if you won Le Mans for McLaren, you would have obviously won Monaco or Indy, you're going to have to do Indy to go for the Triple Crown, right?"
A special unofficial title given to a race car driver who wins the three biggest races in the world: the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
An unofficial motorsport achievement, universally defined as winning three of the world's most prestigious motor races: the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To date, Graham Hill is the only driver to have completed the feat.
Chevrolet Corvette
"You went to Indy, actually, after Montreal, didn't you? What did you do? I went round with, I don't know, I was a Corvette or something."
A famous American sports car that is known for having a loud, powerful engine and a sleek design.
The Chevrolet Corvette is an iconic American sports car known for its front-engine (and more recently, mid-engine) V8 performance. It has served as a benchmark for accessible high-performance driving since its introduction in 1953.
banking
"Actually, how flat it was, you know, there's banking, but it's, you know, I don't know, Daytona. Daytona is like, I don't know, what is 30 something degrees more?"
The tilt or angle of a race track's corners, which helps cars go around turns much faster without sliding off.
The lateral slope or angle of a racetrack's surface, particularly in corners. This design helps cars maintain higher speeds through turns by using gravity and centrifugal force to push the car down into the track.
Cadillac Lyric
"...ence the quickest Cadillac ever, the all-electric Lyric V. The peak performance of the CT5V Blackwing, th..."
The Cadillac Lyriq is a luxury SUV that runs entirely on battery power instead of gasoline. It features a modern design with high-tech screens inside and does not produce any engine noise. The 'V' version is a special high-performance model built to accelerate extremely quickly.
The Cadillac Lyriq is a mid-size luxury electric SUV that serves as the cornerstone of Cadillac's transition to an all-electric lineup. The high-performance Lyriq-V variant is highlighted as the quickest accelerating Cadillac ever, utilizing dual electric motors to deliver instant torque. It showcases how the brand is adapting its performance heritage for the electric vehicle era.
Cadillac Escalade
"...ity of the OPTIQ V, and the legendary roar of the Escalade V. All engineered to thrill."
The Cadillac Escalade is a very large, expensive luxury SUV made by General Motors. The 'V' version is a special high-performance model equipped with an incredibly powerful gas engine that makes a loud, sporty sound. It is designed for people who want maximum space, luxury, and speed.
The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury SUV known for its commanding road presence, high-end technology, and spacious three-row cabin. The high-performance Escalade-V variant features a supercharged V8 engine that delivers sports-car-like acceleration in a massive luxury vehicle. It represents the pinnacle of Cadillac's traditional, combustion-powered luxury and performance.
Cadillac Optiq
"... of the CT5V Blackwing, the nimble agility of the OPTIQ V, and the legendary roar of the Escalade V. All ..."
The Cadillac Optiq is a smaller, electric SUV designed for luxury and daily driving. It runs completely on electricity and is smaller than Cadillac's other electric SUVs, making it easier to park and drive in cities. The 'V' version is tuned to be more sporty and fun to drive.
The Cadillac Optiq is an all-electric compact luxury crossover designed as the entry point to Cadillac's EV lineup. Positioned below the Lyriq, it offers a more agile and maneuverable footprint suited for urban driving. The Optiq-V variant brings sporty suspension tuning and dual-motor all-wheel drive to this compact electric platform.
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