Lando Norris Takes a Sly Dig at Jimmy Butler and Others While Taking a Hot Lap With Rally Driver Oliver Solberg

Vidit Dhawan | 01/10/2024

Normally, F1 drivers take non-racing athletes and celebrities for hot laps around circuits to give them a taste of the speed—and often, a scare. Lando Norris hinted at this while taking rally driver Oliver Solberg for a hot lap around Silverstone recently.

NBA star Jimmy Butler and other notable personalities like Fast and Furious actress Michelle Rodriguez know how it feels to be in the passenger seat next to Norris. Recalling the same, the McLaren driver took a sly dig at them ahead of his ride with Solberg.

“I think this is the first time my passenger actually has an idea of how to drive,” said Norris. “Probably more of an idea“.

Solberg competes in rallying, a discipline that involves significant risks due to the rough terrain. As such, driving fast on a normal circuit likely wouldn’t scare him much—at least, that’s what Norris thought.

Initially, Solberg appeared relaxed in the passenger seat, but as the lap progressed, his nerves began to show. At one point, he even said, “Bloody hell,” when Norris made a fast sharp turn.

However, to be fair, his reactions were relatively subdued compared to others who have taken those hot laps, including Butler.

“You’re going too fast“: Butler

AT the 2019 Canadian GP, Butler made a guest appearance in the paddock. The NBA star then took a hot lap with Norris, whom he is a big fan of.

During the hot lap , the Miami Heat star yelled to express his panic. He told Norris, “You are going too fast! Oh hell naw… oh you driving, driving“.

Butler is a huge fan of Norris and also attended the Miami GP this year to support the British driver. The NBA star wore a McLaren t-shirt to the paddock and had Norris write on it. Coincidently, it turned out to be the weekend Norris would win his first-ever F1 race.

When asked what he likes about Norris, Butler replied, “That’s who I aspire to be. He’s great, he’s young. He’s a little bit attractive, and so I think it’s good to be him right now“.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Jimmy Butler Lando Norris

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Vidit Dhawan

Vidit Dhawan, a Formula 1 Editor at The SportsRush, is intrinsically connected with everything around the sport — from the engine roar, the cacophony on the grandstands to the action. He fell in love with F1 during the inaugural Indian GP in 2011. After more than a decade of deep engagement with the sport, Vidit insists he will remain a lifelong fan of Fernando Alonso, and sees the future of F1 in Charles Leclerc. A sports fanatic from childhood, he discovered his passion for writing while pursuing a bachelor's degree in international and global studies. Vidit has written over 1,700 articles, ranging from news reports to opinions. He thrives covering live action, and loves to dig into the contrasting personalities in the F1 bandwagon and narrate their journey in life as well as the sport. Vidit also follows tennis and football, enjoys playing as well as coaching chess.

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