Daniel Ricciardo’s close friendship with Josh Allen, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, has made him an avid fan of the NFL. As a result, the former F1 driver has become a part of the Bills Mafia over the past few years. In fact, even his ex-teammate at McLaren, Lando Norris, started supporting them—well, sort of.
Unlike Ricciardo, Norris isn’t all that invested in American football, so rooting for them every game day is out of the question.
At McLaren, Ricciardo often nudged Norris to watch NFL games with him and support the Bills, given his love for the team and Allen. While the Bristol-born driver never attended a live game, he made sure to respect Ricciardo’s fandom.
Now, Norris is ready to move on from the past and is open to supporting a new NFL team—not because Ricciardo is no longer his teammate, but because he still considers himself a novice when it comes to the sport. In a recent appearance on The Pivot podcast, Norris said that if someone convinces him to cheer for another team, he’s totally fine with it.
“I am not committed you know. If someone wants to take me away, try persuading to go elsewhere, I am still at that point,” he said.
In response, former running back Fred Taylor suggested that the 25-year-old should support the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While the Jaguars were Taylor’s former team in the NFL, he had another reason for Norris to root for them. “The Jacksonville Jaguars play at Wembley every year—Tottenham and Wembley. So if you want to cheer for a team, that’s my former team,” he added, enticing Norris over the prospect of rooting for the Jaguars from London.
Naturally, Taylor would want Norris to support the team he played for over a decade. Norris, smiling, agreed that the Jaguars playing in London every year would make it easier for him to become a fan.
Jaguars since start of 2015:
2 wins at Wembley Stadium (home team in London)
3 wins at EverBank Field (home field in Jacksonville) pic.twitter.com/lyqXaYPm1c— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 2, 2016
Nevertheless, Norris hasn’t committed to becoming a Jaguars fan just yet. His knowledge and passion for the NFL are still in their early stages—especially when compared to someone like Ricciardo, who has been following the sport since 2019.
Still, the NFL is steadily making its presence felt in the F1 paddock. With the Miami GP weekend taking place around the Hard Rock Stadium—the home of the Miami Dolphins—it’s only natural that drivers get a taste of American football’s grandeur.
In fact, with the paddock set up inside the stadium, several drivers even get a chance to toss the football around during the Miami GP weekend.
