Lando Norris Takes a Lap As Face of TUMI’s New Campaign
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Lando Norris is The “track” is well-known for the moves it makes, but the Formula 1 star The new collection of travel accessories from TUMI is attracting the attention as well.
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Norris is the Face of the TUMI x McLaren 60th Anniversary CollectionIt is a celebration of six decades since McLaren was founded. Part of TUMI’s spring campaign, Norris appears in a series of images under the banner, “Unpack Tomorrow,” a nod to TUMI and McLaren’s commitment to always pushing the envelope when it comes to performance and design.
Buy TUMI McLaren Collection $150+
Released in McLaren’s signature black and “papaya” colorway, the new collection includes backpacks, duffels, crossbody bags and luggage while the accompanying images showcase the bags — and Norris — in front of a hybrid McLaren Artura supercar. There are also a few small accessories in the collection, including a passport case, a toiletry bag, and Wallet. The TUMI x McCLaren line is priced at £49.99 starts at $150 For a folding cardcase.
For Norris, who’s in his fifth season on the F1 circuit, partnering with TUMI was a chance to flex his chops outside of the race track. “I love design, and obviously I travel a huge amount, so this was a cool opportunity to get on board and express myself a little bit through another way of life rather than just motorsport or racing,” he says.
Rolling Stone caught up with the F1 star to chat about his go-to luggage, his top travel hack and why he’s ready to perfect his on-track performance — and off-track style.
Rolling Stone: You probably get offered a lot of partnerships and brand deals — how do you decide what you say yes to and what you pass on?
Norris: I’m the kind of driver who is never happy until something is perfect, so I want to be able to work with people that have a similar mindset and a similar level of perfection for things. Even if it’s a good lap that I can achieve or put together, I’m still not happy because it’s not perfect. And I think TUMI has that similar mentality with how they create all of their things — they don’t want to release anything, there’s there’s never satisfaction, until they know it’s perfect.
Buy TUMI McLaren Collection $150+
What is your favorite piece of luggage?
I always carry my backpack and carry-on luggage. I always have those two things with me because I can fit my laptops in them, I fit my books, notepads, aftershave, passports… And I’m a bit of a gamer, so I can fit my gaming laptop, my headset, my headphones, all into just my two bags.
What about your clothes?
I’m a big shoe guy. I have a large case that is only for my shoes. TUMI’s case is perfect because it has so many different slots where I can put my shoes. And then from a clothing side it depends — sometimes I just throw it all in and see what I got on the other side, and sometimes I’m a bit more careful and smarter with my stuff.
Travel hacks and tips for someone who travels almost every week on business?
I’m a guy that is usually very late. [to the airport]. I leave the house as late and hurriedly as possible. But that’s changing a little bit — I’m now arriving much earlier and just taking my time, to feel less stressed.
Being organized is a great travel hack. I always keep a spare set of clothes in my bag. carry-on luggage. I must always travel in comfortable clothes. But often I come from work or I’m going to work, so always having a spare pair of clothes in my carry-on luggage that is either smart or comfy is essential so that I can quickly go from from one style to the other very quick.
Are you into style, other than shoes?
I think I’ve always been into it, but I wouldn’t say I am the most stylish. I think I’m far from that, because some of the other drivers are much better at it.
What do you think are the most stylish F1 Drivers?
Lewis [Hamilton] It’s definitely number one. That’s for sure. Zhou Guanyu — he’s up there from a style point of view.
I had been thinking about working with different stylists or other people this year. [fashion] companies. Maybe I’ll do it more next year to kind of have different fits throughout the season. I don’t have much of a plan on what to wear and I don’t have the best idea and vision of clothing style, so I don’t know really how to put things together very well. So that’s why I’m always like a joggers and hoodie kind of guy, and I would say my backpack is like attached to me half the time.
Buy TUMI McLaren Collection $150+
This is for Rolling StoneWhat songs do you listen before a race?
It changes quite a bit. It changes a lot. I can change from lo-fi to country to hip-hop to pop. I can do it all before a race. It just depends on what I’m feeling at the time. But I wouldn’t say anything too over-the-top — I kind of like more chilled, relaxed things.
I asked Daniel Ricciardo the same question when we spoke last year. And he said he listens to a lot of country music.
Because I drove with this man for the past two year, I can confirm it. He always listened to country music on the loudspeaker in our driver’s rooms, which were side-by-side. I like it too because it’s something you can sing along to, and it puts a smile on your face, rather than kind of going a bit too over the top. It can sometimes be too much. Sometimes, it’s better to be kind of down low and chilled out.
What is your goal for the rest the year?
I can think of some obvious things: I would like to be able work well with my team in order to make progress. I think we’ve made that clear from the beginning that it was gonna be a rough start, which we’ve accepted. We also had some positive points and a good pace in Australia. So we have a very good plan in place, but it is about how we’re going to be achieving that and actually cementing it and bringing those things to the car to bring it to life.
We need to kind of go into the summer and then go into the end of the year with a very good idea of what we want to achieve, so that we can enter the next year strong, because we’ve always, the last couple of years, maybe started a little bit on the back foot and you want to be able to end the season on a high with good ideas and a strong game plan for how we can go into 2024. I know that’s a very long ways away, but that’s how far you’ve got to think in the life of Formula 1.
You know, you’re constantly trying to improve the car, and every little thing counts. One-tenth of a position can make a big difference in qualifying. One-tenth [of a second] is nothing but it’s also a huge amount. So it’s about making the most of those little opportunities to win.
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