Lando Norris says bike crash shaped F1 path

Lando Norris says his route to Formula 1 began on motorbikes, not in karts, with a childhood crash ending that first path before his four-wheel career ever started.

Speaking on the official Goodwood Festival of Speed broadcast, Norris said he rode bikes before trying either a go-kart or any other four-wheeled machine. “Oh, actually, I started on bikes. I started on bikes before I ever tried a go-kart, before I ever tried four wheels,” he said. That changed after an early accident. “Yeah, I had a crash and never did it again, so I wasn't cut out for that.”

What makes the admission more striking is that Norris has not lost his interest in bikes. He joked that nobody should mention it to Zak as he looks to get back into riding, saying he is “trying to buy my first bike” and had even been “looking at buying a MotoGP bike and just going all out straight away.”

Norris's interest in motorcycles has remained strong alongside his single-seater career. He is a keen MotoGP follower and a huge fan of Valentino Rossi, the nine-time motorcycle world champion. That influence runs into Norris's own image too, with much of his neon-yellow branding inspired by Rossi.

That shared passion has also helped build a close relationship between the two, leading to multiple collaborations, including one at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

For now, Norris made clear that any return to two wheels would sit behind his main job. “I want to get into bikes a little bit more,” he said. “Of course, my focus is completely on Formula 1, and I want to try and win many more world championships, but life is short. It goes by quickly, and I still want to get back to riding on two wheels and see what it’s like.”