LANDO NORRIS

In his first season in F1 Lando Norris has already established himself as one of the sport’s most entertaining characters. Answering your questions, he reveals whom he’d most like to race against online, why he was initially shy of team-mate Carlos Sainz, and his love of milk…

For the drivers, the Russian Grand Prix is arguably the most laid-back race weekend of the year. The commute to the track is easy, the weather is placid and the circuit isn’t particularly challenging. Additionally, all media and PR duties are greatly reduced.

With the Singapore GP held just a week earlier, it’s easy for many F1 folk to find an excuse to skip the hassle of obtaining visas and transiting through Moscow to get to this remote part of the world.

Thursday interview slots to speak with F1 drivers come with strict time constraints, but half-way through having Lando Norris answering your questions, F1 Racing inquires if our time is up. “You’re already five minutes over,” says Mclaren’s genial press attaché Martyn Pass, “but it’s fine, you can continue…”

We carry on chatting for at least another ten minutes and Norris is happy to answer every single question. It’s remarkable to think he has only just turned 20.

But his boyish demeanour means he has soaked up the pressure and intensity of Formula 1 with ease and has regularly impressed, outqualifying his more experienced team-mate Carlos Sainz on numerous occasions this year.

Without doubt, the youngster will be a force to be reckoned with in Formula 1 in years to come and, as his first answer proves, he’s eyeing up wins and championships in the not-too-distant future…

Is it frustrating that the guy who came third in F2 last year [Alex Albon] is in one of the top three teams before you? Alex Butters, United Kingdom

Not really. Mclaren has always been one of the teams I’ve wanted to be with. It was the team I supported more than any other when I was growing up. So, I’m very happy with where I am. Of course, I would like to win races but what I’m hoping is that in a few years we can win races and maybe championships. I think that would be more rewarding because we would have had to work hard to get to that point. I’m also very happy for Alex…

F1R: He’s your hero.