Somerset's top stories direct to your inbox Join for free Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Lando Norris has set his sights on clinching the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in his rookie season.

Norris, 17, makes the step up to F3 full-time this season after winning three championships in a remarkable 2016 campaign.

And the Glastonbury racer will have the opportunity to kick off the season in style on home soil at Silverstone this weekend.

Norris, who will contest the championship with the Carlin team, will face stiff competition if he is to claim the title, with last season’s runner-up Maximillian Gunther and race winners Joel Eriksson and Callum Ilott set to be among his rivals.

Although he ran a partial British F3 programme and made his Euro F3 debut in last season’s finale at Hockenheim, this will be his first full year in the category.

He said: “I start my maiden Euro F3 season in the same way I’ve begun every previous season – to win the championship title – if not outright, then definitely the rookie title.

MORE: Jenson Button may have left F1 but will Lando Norris be Somerset's next Formula One champion?

“The competition is tough with the majority of my rivals having at least one year of F3 racing under their belts.

“The key for any kind of title challenge is consistency throughout the season. The aim of course is to win races but scoring regularly by posting top six finishes I believe is the key.”

Norris has enjoyed a whirlwind 12 months that ended with him winning the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award – given to the most promising young British driver each year – and earning a place in the McLaren F1 team’s young driver programme.

Should success in F3 follow later this year, it will give Norris the perfect platform to achieve his dream of becoming Somerset’s first Formula One driver since Jenson Button.

And after strong performance in pre-season testing at the Hungaroring and Red Bull Ring, Norris is looking to get his season off to the best of starts.

He added: “Like every driver on the grid. I’ll be hoping to get the season off to a flying start at Silverstone.

“Teams and drivers have been out testing in recent weeks in Hungary and Austria but it’s hard to know exactly where I am in terms of speed compared to my rivals and I’ll only find this out in qualifying on Friday.”