The F1 drivers have a fast-paced life. And owing to hectic schedules, they have no choice but to follow along and keep attending to matters at hand. In such a world, going back to meeting people from their past and maintaining relationships can be difficult. It is very rare to see athletes reunite with their childhood coaches or mentors, at least in the public eye. But Lando Norris‘ recent reunion with his childhood confidante is a sight for sore eyes.

Before driving at the pinnacle of motorsport, Lando Norris had a prolific karting career. He spent seven seasons racing in karts. He won the European championship in 2013, and the World Championship in 2014, making him the youngest karting world champion. One of the prominent figures for him during that time was his mechanic, Martin Stone. Mentors make a strong impact on the growth of young talents. And for Lando Norris, it did. The Briton even launched his own karting team in 2021, named LN Racing Kart.

Recent photos of a “grown up” Norris and Martin Stone emerged on Twitter. They are seen walking along the paddock, being followed by cameramen. We might get a glimpse of it in Netflix’s Drive to Survive. Who knows? It must have been a very nostalgic moment for both of them. And Stone must be so proud of Norris, who is now racing for McLaren, one of F1’s top teams.

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Fans were emotional as they got to see Norris reuniting with his old karting Mechanic.

Fans React to Wholesome Lando Norris

Since his karting days, Norris has been a force to reckon with on the racetrack. Even in his rookie season in F1, he scored 49 points, finishing P11 in the WDC. Since then, he has been McLaren’s number 1 driver. And it must be very fulfilling for Martin Stone to see the young driver change and professionally grow. The feeling was the same for fans as they got teary-eyed watching the current and throwback photos of the pair.

A couple of fans were even reminded of the classic One Direction song “Night Changes” after coming across Norris’ transformation.

It was a dream run for Norris, from karting championship to scoring big points in F1. If McLaren can go back to winning ways, Norris can find his way back to the top again.

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