Formula One’s new British megastar Lando Norris parties into the early hours then heads to play golf at Augusta after Miami Grand Prix triumph

Lando Norris gathered his golf clubs and his senses Monday morning after the greatest afternoon of his life, heading to Augusta National.

The 24-year-old always planned to start his week at the home of the Masters, but he postponed the 600-mile trip from Miami by a day – or rather a night – after taking his first Grand Prix in Florida on Sunday won.

Suddenly he was the most talked about driver on the grid and was instructed by McLaren CEO Zak Brown to stay put and enjoy himself.

Brown, whose friends are Augusta members, is more than Norris’s boss. He has nurtured his talent from an early age – ‘since he stood 6.80 meters tall and weighed 40 kilometers’ as world karting champion ten years ago – and it was with an air of almost paternal pride that the 52-year-old American celebrated the triumph of his protégé greeted. in the Hardrock Stadium.

Brown sounded a little hoarse but declared himself to be in good form when he called Mail Sport to report that the evening’s festivities had been ‘young and screaming’. He left the party relatively early, which was staged in a reception room at the team hotel. Music blared as a sports channel replayed the race.

The McLaren star ended a 110-race wait to take the first win of his Formula 1 career

The party ended at 2 a.m., leaving Lando and his hardcore contemporaries to continue their late-night revelry elsewhere.

Norris’ victory owed something to luck, yes – the timely intervention of the safety car – but there was always some pause needed to keep Max Verstappen, his closest friend on the grid and the ultimate weapon of an already deadly race, to overshadow. Red Bull.

But once given the lead thanks to a free pit stop, Norris withstood Verstappen’s intimidating stalking on the restart and coolly and gradually built a lead to end a winning streak that stretched over 110 races .

Only once had he actually thrown away a potential victory, in Russia two years ago, when he stubbornly stuck to dry tires as the rain intensified. He was much more introspective than his mischievous attitude would indicate, but he was inconsolable over the loss. The team had to pick him up.

I asked Brown whether, now that he had finally won, the Bristolian would feel like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “Totally,” he said. “It was only a matter of time so that wasn’t a problem, it was always in the post, but it’s a relief for everyone to get it done.

Norris was instructed by McLaren CEO Zak Brown (R) to stay put and enjoy himself.

Lando Norris celebrated with sporting royalty at Carbone Beach after his victory in the Miami Grand Prix

LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes were among the stars on the elite guest list

“It will no longer be like this: when are you going to get the first win? That’s an annoying question after 15 stages. The result takes the edge off in a good way.’

No one begrudged Norris his moment. Not least because everyone but Verstappen is an unusual turn of events. But also because of its own popularity.

Lewis Hamilton gave a thumbs up from the cockpit of his Mercedes. Fellow drivers congratulated him warmly, including his first McLaren team member Carlos Sainz, who introduced him to golf and did much to bring him out of his shell. And the Norris threw himself at his papaya-clad teammate under the podium, crowdsurfing in a very Lando-esque manner.

“It’s one of the most popular wins you can imagine,” Brown added. ‘The team loves him. The fans love him. When have you ever heard of Lando being booed?’

Quite the opposite. More than once he has driven away from the tracks past signs of girls asking if he wants to marry them.

However, fame comes with strings attached. Only last week, photos emerged of him with a band around his nose after – as the statement goes – he cut himself while taking a sip from a glass with a broken lip during a party in Amsterdam.

The McLaren driver took advantage of a safety car to cross the line ahead of Max Verstappen

His friends bandaged him up as if he had broken his jaw instead of scratching himself. Brown told him, “I want him to live his life, but be careful in this age of social media. He is a megastar and small things can easily grow into bigger things.”

It’s clear that Norris is enjoying himself more than when he was handed his McLaren racing seat in 2019, but he remains essentially the same person and is hugely loved within the team.

This relationship was furthered when he joined as a reserve driver last year and was given an ‘apprenticeship contract’, working hands-on in every department. It helped him develop empathy for the wider workforce. They found him humble and happy to participate.

This mentality persisted. At the Hungaroring in 2020, he was found under his car after the race, cross-legged and lost in his own world, loosening the bolts. It’s an image at odds with the fact that he is the privileged son of a financier father, Adam, who is worth around £200 million – although such wealth has hardly hindered his advancement through the cash-chewing karting and the single-seater pyramid.

How much evolution has Brown seen in Norris over the years? “He used to be extremely shy,” he said. “And to some extent he still is. Now his demeanor is more outgoing, but not in a loud way.

“Although he was super fast from day one, his racing skills and maturity are now at another level.”

Norris, half Belgian through his mother Cisca, is contracted to McLaren at least until 2028

Brown recalled the then 18-year-old matching double world Fernando Alonso in 2018, when master and student entered the 24 Hours of Daytona.

“Neither of them had raced there before and I thought, let’s see how they stack up against each other,” he said. “We found out and I thought this guy was just special.”

Norris, half Belgian through his mother Cisca, is contracted to McLaren at least until 2028. For the second time, the contract extension was announced early to keep him out of the clutches of potential candidates, including Red Bull.

The deal was announced ahead of the season, but talks started midway through last year as McLaren found their form after a long spell in the doldrums. It could earn him at least £40m a year by the end of the contract.

Or about the going rate for a Formula 1 top gun.