Lawnmower tricks, Max Verstappen’s golf buggy duties and stroopwafels – Getting to know the real Lando Norris

That leads on quite nicely… When and where did you first drive something? Alex Albon told us about the time he drove a little go-kart around Disneyland and cried, so I don’t know if you have a similar story…

Disneyland… He cried, did he? I see Alex crying a lot… Wow… I know what it is! It was a lawnmower. I used to drive the lawnmower. I used to go out and cut the grass every day, just so I could drive the lawnmower! But there was like a weight limit to start the engine, so I had to always go to the gym and get the 10kg dumbbells, which were basically a third of my bodyweight back then. I had to put them on the seat with me, then sit on them, to allow me to actually start it and drive it. So, it all started on a lawnmower!

There’s a lot of pressure on this next question… How many times did it take you to pass your driving test?

One! First time…

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A few drivers have said that parallel parking caught them out…

I do try to avoid that now, at all costs! Yeah… I love a little valet, you know.

If you could never sim race again, or never play golf again, what would it be?

Never sim race. I retired from sim racing in covid. I’ve not done a sim race since!

Another golf one for you here… If you had to enter a golf tournament with three other F1 drivers alongside you, who would they be and why?

Aww. I think I’d have Carlos [Sainz]. I’ll have Max [Verstappen], just for the vibe. He won’t be allowed to hold a golf club or anything, but just to have… He can get the drinks and that kind of thing. Who else? I think Lance [Stroll] is pretty good at golf, Lance is very good at golf, similar to Carlos almost. For a competition, those two, then Max can drive the golf buggy, caddie and that kind of thing.