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Lando Norris crashes McLaren super car at Silverstone

Lando Norris crashes McLaren super car at Silverstone
© Reuters
The teenager lost control of the McLaren 720S road car and beached it in the gravel.

Lando Norris will be billed by McLaren for crashing one of the British manufacturer's £210,000 super cars at Silverstone on Thursday.

Norris was taking Sky Sports pundit Johnny Herbert, a former British Grand Prix winner, on a hot lap of the Northamptonshire circuit ahead of his maiden race.

But the 19-year-old lost control of the McLaren 720S road car through the high-speed Maggots and Becketts section before beaching it in the gravel.

Norris crashed a McLaren 720S
Norris crashed a McLaren 720S (Chris Ratcliffe/PA)

The red-faced Norris, competing here for the first time as a Formula One driver, remained in the driver's seat as Herbert, 55, comically sought a shovel to help free the rear end.

Norris eventually emerged from the car which was taken away on a tow truck.

The teenager, who was rewarded for the fine start to his rookie season with the announcement of a contract extension earlier this week, can now expect a ticking off from McLaren.

Indeed, it is understood Norris, who earns £400,000 a year, will have to foot the cost for any repairs to the car.

A McLaren spokesperson told PA: "That's what happens when you put two '19-year-olds' in a car together on track and leave them to it."

Norris' crash occurred a little more than an hour after he brought the televised press conference previewing Sunday's British Grand Prix to a temporary halt.

Lewis Hamilton was replying to a question when Norris burst into an uncontrollable laughing fit. He was forced to put his head in his hands, and removed his microphone.

The moment of amusement was provoked following a discussion about Nigel Mansell's infamous moustache.

Off camera, Australian Daniel Ricciardo asked Norris: "Have you got any pubes yet?"

Norris, who was joined on the stage by Hamilton, Ricciardo and British rookie George Russell, later explained: "It is just Daniel. He is a funny guy and he could have said whatever and made me laugh to be honest.

"You know when someone else laughs and it causes you to laugh? It was just a bit of that."

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