(Motorsport-Total.com) – Lando Norris not only expressed his admiration for MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi at the Goodwood Festival of Speed but also reaffirmed his desire to one day compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside his childhood idol.
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At the same time, the reigning Formula 1 world champion used the event to look back on his own path to the top of motorsport.
Norris and Rossi, both supported 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 legendary endurance classic at Le Mans in the future.
Shared Le Mans Dream with Valentino Rossi
“Definitely, I would do that,” Norris replied without hesitation when asked if he wanted to compete with Rossi at Le Mans. The nine-time motorcycle world champion then joked: “I have already tried to ask him, but Formula 1 drivers are very busy at the moment.”
For Norris, a start at the 24 Hours of Le Mans now seems quite realistic. McLaren is currently working on building its hypercar program and will return to the top class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Le Mans in 2027.
At the Goodwood Festival, Norris drove, among other things, the new McLaren MCL HY, the prototype for the future hypercar project, up the famous Goodwood Hill.
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When asked about possible Le Mans plans, the Brit said: “We simply have too many races at the moment. But since McLaren is now going to Le Mans, maybe next year… no, not next year yet. But maybe in a few years. I would really like 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 GT category of the WEC, also shows openness to a future together with Norris and says with a smile: “I will try to wait for Lando.”
Besides the talks 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.
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Childhood hero Rossi creates a special Goodwood moment
In front of the numerous spectators, Norris recalled what significance the event already had for him in his childhood. Especially emotional for him was the joint appearance with Rossi the day before:
“It’s incredible. Yesterday I stood here with Valentino. I stood here with my hero. He is someone I looked up to as a child,” Norris said in conversation with former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Sports expert Karun Chandhok.
“That was a special moment for me. People always say you shouldn’t meet your heroes. But you definitely should meet them. It’s just fun to be here again and drive a beautiful old car. This is the beginning of McLaren’s comeback,” Norris continued enthusiastically.
From visitor to world champion on the Goodwood balcony
Afterwards, Norris looked back on his career path 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 am the lucky one who gets to stand up here in front of you. I get to wear the number one.”
“I get to represent McLaren. That has been my dream since I was a child. I can consider myself lucky to stand here and receive so much support from everyone,” said the Brit.
Challenging season start despite world championship title
While Norris celebrated winning his first Formula 1 world championship in Goodwood, the sporting situation in the current season is significantly more difficult. After his title win at the end of 2025 in Abu Dhabi, 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 fifth in the drivers’ standings with 97 points. However, his long-term plans for a start at Le Mans seem unaffected by this.
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