Pre-season is crucial for F1 drivers as they work hard to get back into shape after taking time off to rest and recover from a long, grueling campaign. For most, this also includes following a strict diet.
McLaren’s Lando Norris, however, seems more excited about his epic cheat day.
In a video uploaded to Norris’ Instagram fan page, he is devouring pancakes and burgers alongside his friend and streamer, Max Fewtrell. Aware that he’s straying from his off-season diet, Norris can be heard playfully urging those filming not to show the footage to his trainer, Jon Malvern.
Understandably, the Bristol-born driver realized that Malvern wouldn’t be a happy man upon learning about his eating habits.
“I don’t think Jon’s going to be very happy. Jon, if you don’t know, is my trainer. He’s the one that tells me what to eat, when to eat. Do not show Jon this please,” said the 25-year-old.
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Weight is extremely important for F1 drivers. They cannot go above a particular threshold because it could slow them down during races. For that, trainers like Malvern play a huge role.
Malvern and Norris‘ relationship goes way back. In fact, Malvern has been the McLaren driver’s personal trainer since his go-karting days. He’s worked with other prominent racing drivers as well including former Red Bull junior driver, Jehan Daruvala.
However, Norris’ outing with Fewtrell wasn’t the first time he had let his trainer down with his eating habits. Back in 2016, Malvern took to X (formerly Twitter) to take a sly dig at Norris and Daruvala for indulging in a cheat meal. He posted, “Is this a racing driver’s diet? Is it supposed to look like this?”
Is this a Racing drivers diet? Is supposed to look? @Landonorris1 @DaruvalaJehan @oliverrowland1 @ADDMOTORSPORTS pic.twitter.com/y84YP1jw40
— Jon Malvern (@JonMalvern1) January 19, 2016
Norris is ready to fight for his maiden F1 title in 2025
Despite his off-season indulgences, the McLaren driver has put in the hard work to enter the 2025 season as a title favorite. In fact, while speaking to This Morning recently, he insisted that he was in the best shape possible to fight for the championship.
“I would say I’m confident which is a rare thing for me to be. Definitely not overconfident. But I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been, both physically [and] mentally,” explained the four-time Grand Prix winner.
Norris reflected on the 2024 season, admitting that he learned valuable lessons from his championship battle with Max Verstappen. He acknowledged his mistakes but expressed gratitude for those experiences, recognizing their role in his growth.
Heading into 2025, both McLaren and Norris are expected to start strong. With Red Bull’s RB20-RB21 concept facing challenges, Norris enters the season as the favorite to end Verstappen’s title dominance.
