Norris would love to compete at Le Mans alongside his idol, Valentino Rossi — At Goodwood, the Formula 1 world champion looks back on his career with emotion
At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lando Norris not only expressed his admiration for MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi but also reaffirmed his desire to one day compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside his childhood idol.
At the same time, the reigning Formula 1 world champion used the event to reflect on his own journey to the top of motorsports.
Norris and Rossi, both sponsored by Monster Energy, appeared together on Friday on the famous balcony of Goodwood House. There, they were also asked about the possibility of sharing a car in the future at the legendary endurance classic in Le Mans.
A Shared Le Mans Dream with Valentino Rossi
“Absolutely, I’d do that,” Norris replied without hesitation when asked if he would like to compete alongside Rossi at Le Mans. The nine-time motorcycle world champion then joked, “I’ve already tried asking him, but Formula 1 drivers are very busy right now.”
For Norris, competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans now seems entirely realistic. McLaren is currently working on developing its hypercar program and will return to the top class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and to Le Mans in 2027.
At the Goodwood Festival, Norris drove the new McLaren MCL HY—the prototype for the future hypercar project—up the famous Goodwood Hill, among other vehicles.
McLaren’s Return Opens New Possibilities
When asked about possible Le Mans plans, the Briton explained: “We simply have too many races right now. But since McLaren is now going to Le Mans, maybe next year… no, not next year yet. But maybe in a few years. I’d really love to do that. It would be an honor for me and definitely a lot of fun.”
Rossi, who is now 47 years old and currently competes in the WEC’s GT category, is also open to a future partnership with Norris and says with a smile: “I’ll try to wait for Lando.”
In addition to the discussions about Le Mans, Norris was also the center of attention at the festival. After his drive in the McLaren MCL60 from the 2023 Formula 1 season, he was accompanied by the Duke of Richmond to the balcony of Goodwood House, where his first world championship was celebrated.
Childhood hero Rossi creates a special Goodwood moment
In front of the large crowd, Norris reflected on how meaningful the event had been to him even as a child. His joint appearance with Rossi the day before was particularly emotional for him:
“It’s incredible. Yesterday I was standing here with Valentino. I was standing here with my hero. He’s someone I looked up to as a kid,” Norris said in a conversation with former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok.
“That was a special moment for me. People always say you shouldn’t meet your heroes. But you should definitely meet them. It’s just fun to be back here and drive a beautiful old car. This is the beginning of McLaren’s resurgence,” Norris continued enthusiastically.
From Visitor to World Champion on the Goodwood Balcony
Norris then looked back on his career so far. “This is my dream. I was here 13 or 14 years ago with my brother and my father. Back then, I met some drivers and thought: One day, I want to be like them. Thirteen years later, I’m the lucky one standing up here in front of you. I get to wear the number one.”
“I get to represent McLaren. That’s been my dream since I was a kid. I’m lucky to be standing here and receiving so much support from everyone,” said the Briton.
Tough Start to the Season Despite World Championship Title
While Norris celebrated winning his first Formula 1 World Championship title at Goodwood, the competitive situation this season has proven to be significantly more challenging. After winning the title in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2025, McLaren is struggling this year with a less competitive car under the new regulations.
After the first nine race weekends of the 2026 season, Norris is in fifth place in the drivers’ standings with 97 points. However, his long-term plans to compete at Le Mans appear to remain unaffected.