Lando Norris paid tribute to key workers and the NHS with his helmet design for the 2021 British Grand Prix.
The Briton is enjoying the best season of his career and, with his third podium of the year in Austria, reached fourth place in the drivers’ world championship.
Norris ‘Team McLaren are clear third in the Constructors’ Championship too, but their 21-year-old rising star also helps them win hearts and minds.
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The Brit took advantage of the new rules that allow riders to change their helmet design as often as they want throughout the season to create a bespoke design for his home race.
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Norris’ helmet contained handwritten messages from his fans, collected through his massive social media channels (he has nearly three million followers on Twitter, YouTube and Twitch), thanking key workers and NHS staff for their efforts.
“From us to you: Thanks Key Workers,” wrote Norris on Twitter before revealing that he would be giving away the helmet at the end of the race weekend.
The drawing will raise money for Our Frontline, a charity that supports frontline workers over the phone, via text message and online.
Norris qualified for sixth on Friday night before securing a spot in Saturday’s Sprint Qualifier, an experimental new format for the series, to secure fifth on the grid.
To put him in the same final position on Sunday would be his best ever result at Silverstone in F1.
Getting better twice would earn him an emotional podium at the British Grand Prix, which would be a huge improvement on how he felt seven days ago when he was mugged in the Euro 2020 final.
The British driver, whose watch worth around £ 40,000 was stolen when he returned to his car last Sunday night, said it still affects him when he arrived at the circuit on Thursday.
“I was better, I can tell,” said Norris. “I’m not in perfect shape, I’m not going to lie, I have something mental to do.
“Of course I talk a lot about mental health. Mental strength is very important. I didn’t sleep so well and so on. So it’s not ideal and I feel a little bit sore.
“I’ll work on that. I’ll make sure I’m better and in the best possible shape. I feel like I can still go out and focus on the work I need to do, so that’s the main thing. “
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