Lando Norris has firmly ruled out the idea of racing Formula One cars into his forties, unlike Lewis Hamilton. The 26-year-old world champion, currently gearing up for Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, said his priorities lie beyond the racetrack — specifically in starting a family.
Now in his eighth season on the grid, Norris reflected on the longevity of drivers like Hamilton, who began his F1 career in 2007 and is set to become only the second driver behind Fernando Alonso to compete in 400 Formula One races. Hamilton, under contract with Ferrari for at least another season, continues to chase a record eighth world title with no immediate plans to retire.
But when asked if he could see himself racing at Hamilton’s age, Norris was definitive: “No chance. Maybe I’m wrong. But I want kids and I want out of here.”
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He added, “I hope my kids would be involved in Formula One, so maybe I will still be around in the future, and I will always love racing. But at the same time, I enjoy many things outside Formula One, and life isn’t very long. I have a long contract ahead and want to accomplish much more in F1, but not to the age of 40. I don’t want to spend half my life driving cars. I want to live my life doing other things.”
On the current championship battle, Norris faces an uphill struggle. Mercedes currently dominates with what is considered the strongest car on the grid, leaving Norris 73 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli after five rounds. He also suffered a technical failure in second practice on Friday after just seven laps.
Despite Mercedes’ recent success, Ferrari looks set to challenge strongly at Monaco, potentially giving Hamilton a great chance for his first win with the Italian team. Norris expressed respect for Hamilton, saying, “It would be nice to see Lewis win. He’s one of the best of all time. You never want to see someone struggle like that. Knowing what he’s capable of, it’s great to see him happy and clicking again.”
Norris recalled growing up watching Hamilton and rooting for his success. “He had a good weekend in Canada, finishing second, but one good race doesn’t prove anything. Success requires five, six, seven, or eight strong races—so let’s wait and see.”