In an interview, reigning world champion Lando Norris describes how intrusive press photographers are now invading his privacy
As the reigning world champion, McLaren driver Lando Norris has to deal with intrusive press photographers, among other things. In an interview with The Independent, the 26-year-old spoke about his experiences with the paparazzi.
“I drove to a friend’s house in London, and I knew that [some of] the paparazzi were following me the whole way,” Norris says.
“Forty minutes right through the middle of London. [He] was just waiting there to see who I was meeting and where I was going.”
“That was the first time in my life,” says the world champion, “that I started to feel [my privacy] was being invaded—as if I can’t leave my hotel or home without someone following my every move. Private life doesn’t feel private anymore; it’s just life.”
“That’s part of being a Formula 1 driver,” Norris explains. “But there are limits. And I won’t accept it when people stalk me. That’s just weird.”
Especially after winning the world championship, this issue is extremely important to the 26-year-old. After all, Norris is now consciously trying not to barricade himself in his house anymore, but to enjoy his life as much as possible.
“I’m getting older and would like to go out a bit more often,” he explains. “I don’t mean going out to party somewhere. It just means going out to eat and getting out of the house. Last year, I just played video games and felt like a loser sitting at home alone.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Norris said. “I stayed true to myself and was extremely disciplined. But instead of gaming until midnight, I’m now going out with friends until midnight and visiting restaurants. I’ve always enjoyed that, but these days you see more of it on social media, and cameras are everywhere.”
Still, Norris emphasizes: “It’s about experiencing a life outside the world of Formula 1, and that’s exactly what I’m entitled to.”
