Lando Norris may have only just been crowned Formula 1 world champion but he is already being immortalised in his home county of Somerset.
The 26-year-old won the F1 title after a third place finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix gave him the points needed to make the triumph possible.
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He was honoured with a pedestrianised street called Lando Lane named after him at Clark’s Village shopping outlet in Street, near his hometown of Glastonbury.
Among those gathered to watch the unveiling of the new sign was Norris’ former go-karting instructor, Rob Dodds, who said the win was an “amazing story”.
Lando was born in Bristol and grew up around Somerset [BBC]
Dodds coached Norris from age seven and said even then he was “showing a lot of promise”.
Also in attendance was Dan Close, deputy head teacher at Norris’ former school of Millfield in Street, who said: “We are so proud of everything he has achieved and we thought he would do it at seven years old.”
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The school still has a report written about Lando from his Year 3 teacher, who wrote: “When he is Formula 1 champion, I hope he remembers the member of staff who taught him to become a world beater.
“I think we knew from a very early age that he was going to be something special.
“Every weekend he used to go off and race and sometimes he would come back with trophies that were just as big as he was.”
Mr Close said the school was planning a big celebration in their former student’s honour after the Christmas holidays.
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‘Live your dreams’
Norris was born in Bristol but grew up around Somerset, where his success has special significance.
Mohammed Sadiq, Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, said: “For someone who has spent most of his life her in Somerset it’s quite extraordinary.
“This road name is an inspiration for all young people both here and in Somerset to live their dreams and think big, just as Lando has done.”
“It’s breath-taking to have someone so young that has achieved so much and I suspect he has many years where he will achieve more.”
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Somerset has also produced former F1 driver Jensen Button, who is from the town of Frome and won the world championships in 2009.
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