By Felix Glanville, Third Year, Film and TV Editor
Well sure enough he is. Sort of. These days, Formula 1 race winner and the sport's social media wonder-kid, Lando Norris spends his days off in the wealth and splendour of Monaco. However, before his rise to F1 stardom, Norris spent a considerable amount of time in his urban birthplace of Bristol and the nearby Glastonbury where he grew up, went to school, and watched his father become one of Bristol's wealthiest.
Before discussing the Mclaren driver's somewhat disassociated link to the city, we must begin with looking at his millionaire father, Adam Norris, who has certainly left a mark on the city.
Adam Norris, raised in Bristol, made his fortune through the pensions industry, becoming managing director of Pensions Direct at just 33. He then went on to hold a considerable stake in the Bristol-based investment platform, Hargreaves Lansdown. This paid off considerably, with his stake worth around £187 million by 2018. Adam achieved financial independence at a relatively young age, enabling him propel his son into the international karting scene.
Lando's father's domineering business success does not just end there. In 2018, Adam started up Pure Electric, the global electric scooter giant, particularly big in China and Australia. You may have even seen the brand dotted around corners of Broadmead. Adam wishes to contribute to the development of eco-friendly transport across urban centres around the world, but with a blistering average price of £400 for a scooter, it does seem to be a novelty product for the high-end consumer. After all, McLaren have partnered with Pure Electric to produce papaya and matte black stealth machines for Lando to zip through the F1 paddock in speed and style. A convenient way to avoid swarms of photographers and the casual C-list social media celebrity.
Adam's influence on the business of Bristol is abundant: there is a reason he is listed on the Sunday Times Rich List. The Norris name can even be connected with Bristol City, the Bristol Bears, and the Bristol Flyers as founder of Hargreaves Landsdown, Steve Lansdown, had until recently owned these entities under the Bristol Sport organisation. As Adam's Pensions Direct was acquired by Mr Hargreaves, it makes sense why Lando declared his support for the Robins in 2021:
‘My favourite team growing up was Bristol City because it's where I grew up.... and my dad was very good friends with the guy who owned Bristol City.’
I will never forget the day I was walking past Arnolfini at Harbourside and saw an incognito Adam Norris whistle past me, just a few days after his son claimed a nifty third place at the Qatar Grand Prix in 2023. The Norris investment tycoon has chartered the same streets of Bristol as you and I.
So, what of the younger Norris' connection to the city? Well, this is where it becomes a little more tenuous. Although Lando was born in Bristol to parents Adam and Belgian mother, Cisca, in November 1999, the driver grew up in the town of Glastonbury in Somerset. Lando attended Millfield school, an independent public school just outside of Glastonbury where he spent most his days travelling the country to karting championships, not in the classroom. This clearly paid off for the ‘glasto’ boy, becoming the youngest karting World Champion in the CIK-FIA World Championship in KF class in 2014. This enabled Lando to rise up the ladder of single-seater car racing in a hyper competitive field against the likes of George Russell, Alex Albon, and Charles Leclerc.
Lando Norris does have much to thank Bristol for despite his absence from the city for most of his life. He signed with Bristol Sport Racing in June 2015, and was given the necessary support and financial backing to reach FIA Formula 3. Bristol CEO Andrew Billingham at the time hoped Bristol Sport could help Lando achieve his dream of F1 success. As of October 2025, Norris has nine wins, an impressive 40 podiums, and has become the leading face of the sport, attracting a fresh and impassioned young audience. Billingham more than delivered his promise for a 15 year-old Lando.
It would be a disservice to mainly attribute Lando to the Bristol and F1 connection– the university's own Motorsport Society offer social opportunities for students to engage in the sport. The White Harte on Park Row is raided by papaya and scarlet red when the society host their weekend watch along. The pub becomes a cinema experience for the motorsport fan and can certainly stir fervour and rage among its members in the high intensity of qualifying and lights out. My own memory of Singapore 2023 still bites.
It was fascinating speaking to the Motorsport Society's president, Javier, who believes they are an easy route into F1 for anyone coming to the University. The connections made with like minded people among the society are invaluable. Javier's committee also mentioned how legendary Top Gear (2002-) icon, The Stig (Ben Collins), was born in Bristol and was hugely successful in numerous motor racing categories from Formula 3 to GT racing. The Motorsport Society also commented on the global role of The Stig beyond Bristol:
‘Ben Collins played such an inspiration for millions of people worldwide who wanted to get into motorsports, just by looking at that classic white helmet and overalls.’
While Lando Norris is not exactly a true patriot of Bristol, there are several examples of how F1 and motorsport wind its way to the city. The Norris dynasty of Adam and sport megastar Lando have thrown their Bristolian name out into the high leagues of business and Formula 1, Bristol Sport as a franchise has been pivotal to accelerating the careers of karting juniors, The Stig has become a universal symbol for petrol-heads, while the Bristol University's Motorsport Society offer sanctuary for F1 fans to grow their interest in the sport and have the odd clash about Lewis Hamilton's misjudged Ferrari troubles.
Featured Image: Instagram/ @kymillman
Did you know about Lando's connection to Bristol?
