THE PRESSURE ON Lando Norris to perform has never been higher. He’s no longer a young, inexperienced driver who can be forgiven for mistiming an overtake or losing focus from time to time. After a breakthrough year that saw the 25-year-old rack up four wins but come up short in the title race, Norris enters the 2025 F1 season as the odds-on favourite to win the driver’s championship and snap Max Verstappen’s four-year streak. Pundits, his fans, and McLaren will no longer be so forgiving.
The time for Norris to prove he has what it takes to become a world champion is now. If he falters, McLaren may need to reconsider its internal pecking order – especially if Oscar Piastri’s performances continue to improve. Faced with such pressure, Norris needs to ensure that he’s putting himself in a position to perform at his best. That mean’s nailing his fitness and nutrition.
While F1 is a race in its purest form, it is also a race off the track – a race to be in the best shape possible. To achieve optimal conditioning, nutrition is crucial for F1 drivers. In February, Oscar Piastri’s nutritionist Dan Martin took us through the standard approach of a driver towards diet.
“It’s a balance between providing fuel for the body to allow them to perform, aiding muscle repair to ensure that they recover in between back-to-back races and triple headers while also monitoring weight, which is a key factor in performance,” Martin said. “None of those are mutually exclusive and so, we have to keep on top of all of those factors throughout the season.”
Norris’ approach to nutrition is likely similar, and we do know one of the key features of his diet – a flavour packed, energy boosting smoothie.
Lando Norris’ go-to smoothie recipe
Lando Norris’ favourite smoothie is packed with nutrients. Norris includes strawberries and pineapple for natural sweetness along with a dose of vitamin C, which supports immune function and collagen production. Some spinach adds a wealth of nutrients, including iron, magnesium and fibre. Full cream milk provides the necessary protein, calcium and healthy fats for muscle recovery and bone strength, while almond butter supplies even more protein. Norris blends all this up in a Nutribullet, with the brand serving as an official licensee for the McLaren team.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup strawberries
1/3 cup pineapple
1 cup spinach
1.5 cups full cream milk
1 tbsp almond butter
Related:
Oscar Piastri is gunning for greatness
Jack Doohan reveals what’s fuelling his F1 ascendence
