Lando Norris speaks on his move to Monaco and mixing with his F1 friends there, as he puts happiness and enjoyment for new McLaren deal.
Norris recently signed a brand new long-term deal with McLaren in Formula 1, until the end of 2025, and hopes that above all else he can continue on the same level of enjoyment since also moving to Monaco. The new contract is thought to have elevated him into the top three most highly-paid drivers on the grid, even though we are yet to see the true pace of the team’s all important 2022 MCL36.
The Woking-based squad were clearly set on securing Norris’ services as the British driver admitted he’d naturally had conversations with rival teams. Having previously stated that he’d never move away from McLaren’s base in the UK, he has since opted to move to Monaco – a move completed very recently as Norris explains.
“I have now moved into my mansion, a small apartment in Monaco, but yes it is lovely,” said Norris to written media. “I have got a nice view and everything. I have not been there much, obviously I am at McLaren for a few days, went for BRIT awards, simulator a day before that. I have moved in now, I still have a few boxes to unpack and stuff.
“I’ve not met anyone out there just yet. I’ve been here already quite a bit and at the MTC preparing for this season, but it’s very quiet there at the moment which is lovely. This is all I want in my life is peace and quiet when I’m away from the race track. The only thing I guess I really miss is my mates and my friends who live in the UK.
“But like one of them already came out to Monaco and stay there for a few nights and we went to go play golf and things like that. At the moment, I’m making my way to care for many times and just buying food and stuff. Buying cutlery I realised I somehow lost all my all my forks. So I only had knives and spoons somehow. I’m still at that point of my move.
“So no boats. I mean, I love to going out on sea and stuff. But I don’t need any of that just now I don’t have the time for it. Or we there’s so little, we’re at home so little, whether it’s even here in MTC or back at Monaco compound to the amount of time we’re going to be spending away travelling and away racing. At the moment, I don’t have a car.
“So if anyone wants to give me a car to just drive around, that’d be lovely. But now I’m still literally at that stage when I just haven’t got everything organised. I’m so onto a couple of things,” summed up Norris. He even joked that he “doesn’t have the time” to worry about purchasing a yacht but would run one from reigning champion Max Verstappen instead.
“I don’t need the boat just yet,” added Norris. “That might come in a few years. Until then I can probably just run one from Max or something. He’s probably got a few things.” On other guys, he noted that George Russell is still in the UK, but he will have Alexander Albon and Charles Leclerc to give him company when in Monaco.
“I know Alex is there a lot and Charles is there and already spoke to a few of them and knowing I’m going to maybe play some golf with Charles, I know he plays paddle as well which I’m getting into,” said Norris. “So it’s nice but I’m still getting used to live there.”
When asked on the obvious financial advantages that come with signing a lucrative and long-term contract, Norris highlights how he enjoys being able to help out and take care of friends whilst appreciating the fact that very few can do the same. And his core belief is the happiness side of things rather than always see money.
“It’s nothing big, it is a new contract for sure,” said Norris. “And I think I can be clear that of course, I’m moving away with more money. Results definitely help me a little bit more with contracts or something that comes into it, and something that if you have a good season then naturally we will revise it a little bit especially if there are opportunities from other teams could arise, that’s something which always helps the money side of it.
“But I know everyone says it but that’s not the biggest thing for me, I have always said my enjoyment and everything and happiness comes above all, that’s for me still the most important thing. That for me is the deciding factor in all of this and of course, I would have moved to Monaco and so on but things change and with that, still my happiness and enjoyment is above everything.
“And with more money, I think I’m already a very nice guy when it comes to how much I help my friends. And I help them as much as possible. Whether it’s giving them opportunities, or paying for dinner or something, like it’s something I’m already happy to do. Because I’m capable of doing that and so on.
“And that just kind of makes me happy that I can look after and take care and so on and just make people happy that way, because it’s an opportunity that I have, that I guess maybe not as many other people can,” summed up Norris.
McLaren teammate Daniel Ricciardo is expected to stay at the squad into 2023, however his future remains sizably more uncertain than Norris’, after a 2021 season of epic highs and low lows. “My happiness and enjoyment is above everything,” Norris remarked.
“That’s why I want to stay here, I could try to get the opportunity to move elsewhere in future but for the next four years, for a big part of my life, I want to stay here and enjoy the time with McLaren who brought me into the sport, so I am happy where I am and that matters more than anything else.”
The story was written by Danny Herbert
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