Shropshire Star

Lando Norris left red-faced following McLaren super car crash

The teenager lost control of the McLaren 720S road car and beached it in the gravel.

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Lando Norris will be billed by McLaren for crashing one of the British manufacturer’s £210,000 super cars at Silverstone on Thursday.

Norris was taking Sky Sports pundit Johnny Herbert, a former British Grand Prix winner, on a hot lap of the Northamptonshire circuit ahead of his maiden race.

But the 19-year-old lost control of the McLaren 720S road car through the high-speed Maggots and Becketts section before beaching it in the gravel.

Norris crashed a McLaren 720S
Norris crashed a McLaren 720S (Chris Ratcliffe/PA)

The red-faced Norris, competing here for the first time as a Formula One driver, remained in the driver’s seat as Herbert, 55, comically sought a shovel to help free the rear end.

Norris eventually emerged from the car which was taken away on a tow truck.

The teenager, who was rewarded for the fine start to his rookie season with the announcement of a contract extension earlier this week, can now expect a ticking off from McLaren.

Indeed, it is understood Norris, who earns £400,000 a year, will have to foot the cost for any repairs to the car.

A McLaren spokesperson told PA: “That’s what happens when you put two ’19-year-olds’ in a car together on track and leave them to it.”

Norris’ crash occurred a little more than an hour after he brought the televised press conference previewing Sunday’s British Grand Prix to a temporary halt.

Lewis Hamilton was replying to a question when Norris burst into an uncontrollable laughing fit. He was forced to put his head in his hands, and removed his microphone.

The moment of amusement was provoked following a discussion about Nigel Mansell’s infamous moustache.

Off camera, Australian Daniel Ricciardo asked Norris: “Have you got any pubes yet?”

Norris, who was joined on the stage by Hamilton, Ricciardo and British rookie George Russell, later explained: “It is just Daniel. He is a funny guy and he could have said whatever and made me laugh to be honest.

“You know when someone else laughs and it causes you to laugh? It was just a bit of that.”

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