Britain’s new Formula 1 megastar Lando Norris parties until the early hours then heads to golf at Augusta after his Miami Grand Prix triumph.

Lando Norris was gathering his golf clubs and his senses Monday morning after the greatest afternoon of his life, en route to Augusta National.

The 24-year-old had always planned to start his week at the home of the Masters, but he delayed the 600-mile trip from Miami by a day – or more precisely, a night – after winning his first grand prize in Florida Sunday.

Suddenly the most talked about driver on the grid, he had been instructed by McLaren chief executive Zak Brown to stay put and have fun.

Brown, whose friends are members of Augusta, is more than Norris’s boss. He developed his talent from a young age – “since he was 2ft 2in and weighed 40km” as a world karting champion a decade ago – and it’s with an almost air of pride paternal that the 52-year-old American welcomed the triumph of his protégé. at Hard Rock Stadium.

Looking a little hoarse but declaring himself in good form when he called Mail Sport, Brown reported that the night’s celebrations had been “young and screaming”. He left the party relatively early in a reception room at the team hotel. Music blared as a sports channel rebroadcast the race.

Lando Norris finally became Formula 1 winner at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

The McLaren star ended his 110-race wait to claim the first victory of his Formula 1 career

The ceremony ended at 2 a.m., leaving Lando and his die-hard contemporaries to continue their nightly revelry elsewhere.

Norris’ victory owed something to luck, yes – the timely intervention of the safety car – but it always took a break of one sort or another to eclipse Max Verstappen, his closest friend on the grid and the supreme weapon of an already deadly group. Red bull.

But once he took the lead thanks to a free pit stop, Norris withstood Verstappen’s intimidating harassment on the restart and began to open up a lead calmly and gradually to end a stretching winless streak out of 110 races.

Only once has he really spoiled a potential victory, in Russia two years ago, when he stubbornly stayed on dry tires as the rain intensified. Much more introspective than his mischievous attitude suggests, he was inconsolable over this loss. The team had to come get him.

I asked Brown if, having finally achieved victory, the Bristolian might feel relieved of a burden. “Totally,” he said. “It was just a matter of time, so it wasn’t a worry, it was still in the post, but to get there is a relief for everyone.”

Norris had been instructed by McLaren chief executive Zak Brown (right) to stay and have fun on site.

Lando Norris celebrated with sporting royalty at Carbone Beach after his Miami Grand Prix victory

LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes were among the stars on the elite guest list

“It will no longer be the case: when will you achieve the first victory? It’s an annoying question after 15 podiums. The result takes it out in a good way.

No one blamed Norris for his moment. Not least because anyone but Verstappen is an unusual turn of events. But also because of his own popularity.

Lewis Hamilton gave a thumbs up from the cockpit of his Mercedes. His fellow drivers praised him warmly, including his first McLaren teammate, Carlos Sainz, who introduced him to golf and did much to bring him out of his shell. And Norris threw himself at his papaya-clad teammate under the podium, riding the crowd in a very Lando way.

“It’s one of the most popular victories imaginable,” Brown added. “The team loves him. The fans love him. When have you ever heard Lando get booed?

Rather the opposite. More than once, he walked away from the railroad tracks in front of signs held up by girls asking him if he would marry them.

Fame comes with conditions, however. Just last week, photos of him with a strap across his nose were published after – as the explanation goes – he cut himself while taking a sip from a drink with a broken lip while he was partying in Amsterdam.

The McLaren driver benefited from a safety car to cross the line ahead of Max Verstappen

His friends bandaged him up as if he had broken his jaw rather than scratching it. Brown told him: “I want him to live his life, but be careful in the age of social media. He’s a megastar and small things can easily turn into bigger things.

It’s clear that Norris is enjoying himself more than he was when he received his McLaren racing seat in 2019, but he remains essentially the same person and extremely well-liked within the team.

This relationship was strengthened when he arrived the previous year as a reserve driver and completed an “apprenticeship”, working on the ground in all departments. This helped him develop empathy with the entire staff. They found him humble and happy to be involved.

This state of mind continued. At the Hungaroring in 2020, he was found after the race under his car, sitting cross-legged and lost in his own world, unscrewing bolts. It’s an image at odds with his being the privileged son of a financier father, Adam, who is worth some £200 million – although such wealth has hardly been an obstacle to his progression in lucrative karting and single-seater pyramiding.

What evolution has Brown observed in Norris over the years? “He was extremely shy,” he said. “And it still is to some extent. Now his attitude is more outgoing but not loud.

“Although he was lightning fast from day one, his racing talent and maturity are now on another level.”

Norris, half Belgian through his mother Cisca, is registered with McLaren until at least 2028

Brown recalled Fernando Alonso, then 18, to the world double in 2018, when the master and apprentice took to the Daytona track in the 24 Hours.

“Neither of them had been there before and I thought we’ll see how they compete,” he said. “We found out about him and I thought this guy was just special.”

Norris, half-Belgian through his mother Cisca, is signed at McLaren until at least 2028. For the second time, the contract renewal was discussed early to keep him out of the clutches of potential suitors, including Red Bull.

The deal was announced before the season, but discussions began midway through last year, as McLaren was returning to form after a long period of slump. This could earn him at least £40m a year by the end of the contract.

Or about the going rate for a Formula 1 top gun.