Formula 1: After last year’s incident, Lando Norris will race in unique Hungarian Herend helmet
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Lando Norris’ last encounter with a prized Herend porcelain did not go too well: in 2023, he accidentally smashed Max Verstappen’s winning trophy while celebrating after the Hungarian Grand Prix. But from the accident came a collaboration, and this year, the McLaren driver will wear a unique, hand-painted helmet adorned with famous Herend motifs.
Also reported by DNH at the time, the celebration after last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix was a memorable one. Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Sergio Pérez finished in the top three during the race, and as the usual post-race champagne parade began, Norris accidentally knocked Verstappen’s Herend porcelain first-place trophy to the ground, shattering it into pieces. The trophy was handmade by 30 people over six months and had an estimated value of EUR 40,000.
After the incident, the McLaren team apologised to Verstappen, and the Herend Porcelain Manufactory offered to replace the broken prize. Fortunately, it seems that there is no bad blood between Lando Norris and the Manufactory. The celebration gone awry last year has now brought a fruitful relationship.
Herend Porcelain Manufactory teams up with Lando Norris
As Bors writes, before this year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris arrived in the country early to visit the Herend Porcelain Manufactory. Attila Simon, CEO of the Manufactory, said that the McLaren driver was shown around the building and the various stages of manufacture, and even tried his hand at porcelain painting.
The visit was obviously a success, so much so that Simon jokingly said,
“Lando passed his test very well, I offered him a job at the porcelain factory and he didn’t say no!”
As he pointed out, on a more serious note, “There was a long lead-up to this meeting. Herend has been the supplier of trophies to the Hungarian Grand Prix for many years. Lando is a serious favourite for the race. We are confident that the trophy will be in his hands this year.”
“You always have to look on the bright side of everything,” Simon added, referring to the accidental trophy-smashing of last year, continuing “Herend Porcelain is a value-creating community.”
