Lando Norris is Britain's F1 history-maker with £80m contract and ex-football WAG girlfriend

Lando Norris became an F1 race winner at the 110th attempt on Sunday as he beat Max Verstappen to victory to finally fulfil his promise to McLaren that he would win for them

Lando Norris has, for a long time now, been a fans' favourite on the Formula 1 grid.

But there was always one thing that people could hold against him. Prior to the weekend's Miami Grand Prix, he had started 109 F1 races and won a grand total of zero.

At the 110th attempt, Norris finally delivered on the promise he has shown for years. And, after he held off Max Verstappen in the mighty Red Bull to do it, F1 could not have had a more popular race-winner than the McLaren star.

Verstappen led the congratulations from his rivals as, one after another, they all sought Norris out to give him a huge hug. And millions more across Britain and around the globe who have been charmed by the 24-year-old would have wanted to do the same.

Despite his young age, Norris has been a mainstay on the F1 grid for years now. Aged just 19, he was signed by McLaren and became Britain's youngest ever F1 driver having impressed in the junior categories - and it didn't take him long to settle in.

A maiden podium came in the very first race of his second season in the sport, at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix. Fourteen more have followed since, as Norris equalled the all time record for the most podium finishes without having the experience of standing on the top step.

But he finally shook off his 'always the bridesmaid' moniker with a stellar driver in front of Hollywood stars in Miami. And, as his racing career finally begins to live up to the promise it has shown for years now, his personal life has become equally impressive.

Image: Getty Images) Getty Images)

Norris boasts a huge income thanks to a mega-money contract signed earlier this year. McLaren, in a bid to ward off interest from rivals Red Bull, tied the Brit down to a four-year deal worth £80million which ensures he is well compensated for his talent and the risk he takes every time he is strapped into the cockpit of his 1,000 horsepower racing machine.

Norris has always managed to live a comfortable life thanks to his father Adam's career as a successful businessman which means he has a nine-figure fortune. Norris grew up with his father and Belgian mother Cisca in Glastonbury, Somerset, and went to a local school - but didn't get any qualifications as he focused on his racing.

His McLaren salary alone would be more than enough for a life of luxury but, on top of his F1 career, Norris has become a successful businessman in his own right. In November 2020, he launched his own gaming and lifestyle brand Quadrant which has become huge among his army of global fans.

Image: Getty Images) Getty Images) Image: AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images)

He owns a £20m Surrey mansion but, like most F1 drivers, spends most of the time that he is not on the road living in Monaco. And for years now there has also been plenty of speculation about his love life.

Norris dated Portuguese model Luisinha Oliveira from the start of 2022 but, later that year, he confirmed on social media that the relationship had ended. These days, he has been spotted cosying up to Margarida Corceiro, also a Portuguese model.

She is the ex-girlfriend of former Chelsea footballer Joao Felix, who now plays for Barcelona. A relationship with Norris is not confirmed, but they have been spotted together plenty of times including recently at the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament.

The one thing that was missing from Norris' life was a trophy for winning an F1 race. At the end of last year he was increasingly frustrated over the wait, especially after a run of podium finishes - no matter how well he drove, Verstappen and Red Bull were simply too strong to beat.

Image: magui_corceiro/Instagram) magui_corceiro/Instagram) Image: magui_corceiro/Instagram) magui_corceiro/Instagram)

But the opportunity arose in Miami and the 24-year-old grabbed it with both hands. The safety car came out at the right time for him and meant he was able to grab a cheap pit stop and still come out ahead of Verstappen, who had pitted a few laps earlier for fresh tyres.

Many would have expected Verstappen to roar past the McLaren once the race resumed. But the team had armed Norris with a hugely upgraded car which gave him the pace he needed not only to fend off the Dutchman, but to pull away and win the race by more than seven seconds.

Verstappen is not used to being beaten in a straight fight, but was the first to congratulate Norris, who he has previously described as his best friend in the F1 paddock. The Red Bull racer gave his rival a huge hug before saying: "I'm very happy for Lando. It's been a long time coming. And it's not going to be his last one so yeah, he definitely deserves it today."

Image: Getty Images) Getty Images)

There were also hugs and words of congratulations from the the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo. And McLaren chief executive Zak Brown cancelled Norris' flight home and rebooked him onto another plane the following day, so that he could party the night away with his colleagues in Florida.

His father Adam, so often at the track to watch his boy in action, had not made the trip. He spoke to Sky Sports live from the family home in Somerset, struggling to hold back his emotions having watched young Lando finally achieve his boyhood dream.

As for Norris, he will hope it is the first victory of many and, aged 24, time is very much on his side. His achievement in Miami will also serve as a confidence boost for the rest of the F1 grid - Verstappen and Red Bull have dominated the sport for so long now, but Norris proved once and for all that they are not invincible.

Click here to read article