Norris already has proposals in the WRC to test in rallies

August 24, 2022

Norris had a successful career in junior single-seater classes before landing a starting seat at McLaren in 2019, and is currently seventh in the world standings ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Although his career has focused on circuit racing, Norris declared his interest in rallying in an interview with Motorsport.com last week.

The desire to drive a rally car stemmed from a recent experience in that discipline during a shoot for the launch of a new clothing line for Quadrant , his gaming and racing brand, which had an off-road theme, and included recordings with a rally car.

Following the publication of the report, Hyundai ‘s factory WRC driver Solberg , son of 2003 world champion Petter Solberg , was quick to offer Norris a ride in one of his rally cars at his family home in Sweden.

Speaking to Motorsport.com in the service park at last weekend’s Ypres Rally Belgium, the 20-year-old said he was willing to give Lando Norris a chance.

“If you want to come to the farm in Sweden, we have a lot of rally cars. So if you want to come do some driving, of course,” said Oliver Solberg.

“I can text him Monday morning and ask him to come drive a rally car.”

“He’s a super good and very talented driver, so I’m sure he’ll do very well in a rally car, as long as I can do a lap in his Formula 1 car too,” he smiled.

The WRC M-Sport team is also keen to welcome Lando Norris, after the 22-year-old visited the team’s facility in Cumbria, UK for his shoot.

Team principal Richard Millener is also open to offering Norris a chance in a rally car in the future.

“Sadly he wasn’t there the day Lando came to visit us, but he would have been delighted to meet him,” Millener told Motorsport.com.

“Some of the guys who used to work for us and now work for McLaren have mentioned that he was really excited after that day.

“He wasn’t in a position to be able to drive a car at the time, but I think he would love to get a chance in a car and I think it would be great for the team.”

“He seems like a very fun and approachable guy, so you never know. It would always be nice to do this kind of thing.”

Norris wouldn’t be the first F1 driver to try rallying in recent years. Current Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas has taken part in the Arctic Rally on a couple of occasions, while 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen took part in several WRC rounds during his break from F1 in 2010 and 2011.

Alfa Romeo reserve driver Robert Kubica has also combined rallying with his F1 career, sustaining serious injuries to his right forearm in an accident in 2011, and won the WRC2 crown in 2013 during his F1 break.

Jos Verstappen, a veteran of 106 F1 races, made his WRC debut last weekend in Belgium, driving a Rally2 specification Citroën C3, in which he took 60th overall.

Valteri Bottas, Citroen C3 WRC