Lando Norris to miss 'one of the best days of my life' as Brit gets serious in title fight

will not be in attendance at the King's Day festivities in the Netherlands as the Brit gets serious about his World Championship fight. The racer will spend his weekend off training as he looks to take the battle to and . The 25-year-old partied with celebrity DJ and close friend Martin Garrix on Koningsdag in 2024, which celebrates the birth of King Willem-Alexander on 27 April each year.

Norris was even spotted with bandages across his face after cutting his nose on another partygoer's glass during the festivities. However, there will be no repeat of such an incident this time around. With a fortnight's break leading into the Miami Grand Prix - where Norris claimed his first career victory in 2024 - the Bristol-born racer will be training hard in the gym and poring over data at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.

In an interview with Viaplay after the Saudi Arabian GP, Norris was asked whether he would be partying in Amsterdam to celebrate the occasion. "No, sadly not," he replied. "I wish because it was one of the best days of my life, and I won Miami!

"I mean, I know... I miss all my friends. I had a great week with Martin [Garrix] and the whole gang in Amsterdam last year, but I'm fighting for a championship, I can't afford to do these things. I've gotta go back home and train, you know?

"This race was tough. It was physically demanding. As much as I would like a little drink, I've not drunk all year, and I'm proud of that. And yeah, I'll just keep working hard, so no fun for me."

Norris' wise use of the post-triple-header break comes after another frustrating weekend for the 25-year-old. He crashed at Turn Five during his first Q3 lap, leaving him 10th on the grid at a circuit where overtaking can be difficult without a significant pace advantage.

This opened the door for his title rivals to inflict some pain, and Piastri and Verstappen did just that. The Australian racer's third victory of the season moved him 10 points clear at the top of the Drivers' Championship standings heading into round six, while Red Bull's star man is only two points behind Norris.

Despite the worrying predicament he faces, Norris knows what he has to do to reel his team-mate back in. "I'm pleased on the whole," he explained. "I make life tough for myself, especially at a race like that. It would have been much easier, a lot more chilled if I was just driving at the front. I need to make things easier and have better Saturdays."