Norris co-founds new multi-championship junior single-seater team

Reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris has co-founded a multi-championship junior single-seater team called LN4 Fusion and launched a driver development initiative.

The 26-year-old, who clinched his first Formula 1 world title last year with McLaren and recently signed a contract extension that keeps him at the British team until the end of 2030, announced the new projects at an event in Italy not far from Monza, host of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

The team will compete in the Italian F4 Championship, FIA Formula Regional European Championship [FRECA] and Formula 3. In the UK, LN4 Fusion is already operating a dedicated British Formula 4 testing programme while working towards securing a future entry into the championship.

The group has also acquired selected assets of AIX Racing, which secured the F3 entry until the end of the 2027 season, and has made an application to participate in F2, the series below F1.

The cars will be adorned with a punchy livery that is dominated by Norris' signature fluorescent yellow and the blobs that have become synonymous with his brand.

LN4 Fusion has been developed by an investment group led by Dan Richards, who will oversee the organisation's corporate strategy, commercial development and long-term business growth.

Rene Rosin will be Team Principal. Rosin is a motorsport veteran who has won more than 40 championship titles over the last couple of decades.

Dan Hazlewood brings more than 25 years of international motorsport experience to his role of Team Principal of LN4 Fusion's UK operations.

Alongside the new team, Norris is launching the LN4 Legacy Programme, which is an independent fully-funded driver development programme operated by ADD Management (who manage Norris).

The initiative will be led by Julian Rouse and will aim to identify and support expectational young talent and give them access to the same quality of coaching, mentoring, performance and career support that Norris received on his pathway to Formula 1.

"I’ve been really lucky to have some amazing people around me throughout my career, and I know that getting to Formula 1 takes so much more than just talent," said Norris, who is personally funding the LN4 Legacy Programme.

"You need the right people around you, the right support and the right opportunities at the right time. That’s what these two projects are all about. LN4 Fusion is about building a race team that can compete with the best in junior motorsport, with great people and a great environment for drivers to develop.

"The LN4 Legacy Programme is about helping talented young drivers get opportunities they might not otherwise have. “For me, they naturally fit together. I want to help create opportunities for the next generation, both on and off the track, and hopefully make a real difference to young drivers coming through the sport."

Richards added: "We have assembled a rare combination and secured the right sporting leadership in the industry: an established operation, a Formula 1 World Champion, the most successful team principal in junior single-seater racing over the past two decades, world-class motorsport expertise, significant investment and a shared ambition to build a team capable of competing at the highest levels of the sport."

Rosin said: "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute my experience to an independent, vision-driven sporting programme with strong backing, a clear long-term vision and the resources required to build it properly.

"Having Lando on board adds a further dimension to this project. He has come through the junior single-seater ranks and understands its demands. His involvement will make a real difference to the team."

Hazlewood said: "Over the past 25 years, we have built Fusion Motorsport around preparation, discipline and driver development. That experience has given us a very clear understanding of what young drivers need in order to make the transition from karting into single-seater racing."

Rouse added: "The best young drivers all have talent. What often makes the difference is everything around them. Throughout my career I’ve seen how the right environment, experienced people and the right support at the right time can unlock a driver’s potential.

"Our ambition is to create a complete support ecosystem around every driver, bringing together coaching, performance, technical expertise, mentoring and guidance both on and off the track, so they have every opportunity to maximise their potential."