12/12/2017
NEWS STORY
2017 saw Glastonbury-born Lando Norris take another step towards F1 as, for the third successive season, he won the championship he was contesting at the first attempt.
In 2015 it was the newly established MSA Formula series, followed by the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, Formula Renault 2.0 NEC and Toyota Racing Series titles in 2016 before claiming the FIA F3 European Championship this year.
Having joined McLaren's Young Driver Programme in February, in early November he was confirmed as the Woking outfit's test and reserve driver in 2018.
Despite his move up to F2 next season with Carlin, Eric Boullier insists the youngster will be kept busy at Woking also.
"I hope that he will one day drive for McLaren, that's why we took him on board," Boullier told the official F1 website. "But first is F2, a good sporting challenge for him.
Having driven the McLaren at the post-Hungary and Abu Dhabi tests, the youngster was keen to get some FP1 outings under his belt next year, but the team was against the idea.
"He will spend a lot of time in the simulator and he will have the opportunity to test," said Boullier. "He was also pushing to get some FP1 outings, but I am not a fan of this. But he will still have a busy life!"
While his post-Brazil test was cancelled with just a few hours notice, Norris subsequently finished second in the prestigious Macau Grand Prix subsequently taking part in the Abu Dhabi F1 test before heading off to France for the FIA Awards Ceremony.