London [UK], September 3: Formula One world champion Lando Norris has launched his own junior racing team.
The LN4 Fusion team, launched by Norris in Monza on Wednesday ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, will join the Formula Three championship for next season as well as Italian Formula Four and the FIA Formula Regional European Championship.
An entry into Formula Two - the stepping stone to F1 - is also planned.
Norris, who clinched his maiden title last season, says he aims to create the best junior racing team in the world as he bids to help young drivers progress.
"I've been really lucky to have some amazing people around me throughout my career and I know that getting to Formula One takes so much more than just talent," Norris said.
"You need the right people around you, the right support and the right opportunities at the right time."
The team, co-founded by Norris alongside an investment group, will have its main base in Veneto, in northern Italy, and will be run by team principal Rene Rosin.
Alongside LN4 Fusion, Norris is also launching the LN4 Legacy Programme - "an independent, fully funded legacy scheme" - aimed at helping young drivers without the financial backing to make it to the top of the sport.
Norris wrote on Instagram: "I was lucky enough to achieve my dream and now I want to help others achieve theirs.
"Built with people I trust, people who've experienced all levels of motorsport and know exactly what it takes to win. The goal is to become the leading junior single-seater team. We'll be on the grid in Italian F4, FREC, F3, and are working on a place in British F4 and F2.
"That's not all. We've also created the LN4 Legacy Programme to fund and support talented young drivers who might otherwise not get the opportunity. Giving them the support they need on and off track to have the best chance of success.
"To see this go from an idea to something real is incredible. Huge thanks to everyone who has played a part in making this happen."
Norris, who has spent his entire career with McLaren and made his F1 debut in 2019, hopes this can be a long-term project as the 26-year-old looks beyond life in F1.
"I think the main part of this for me is I get to simply stay very involved in racing, and because this is a very long-term project, it's not just a two-year, five-year, 10-year. Hopefully this is much longer," he said.
"It's about always having a team that I can support myself, always having a team that I can really feel a part of, be my family, be cars that I see on TV that I can support.
"At the minute, it's kind of just been the teams I've been with in the past, or maybe I support certain drivers, but this is my team, a story that we can create over the years and to support drivers as well."
Source: Qatar Tribune
