Why Lando Norris’ LN4 Fusion Got a Formula 2 Entry So Quickly

Formula 2 has approved LN4 Fusion, a new junior racing team formed by Lando Norris, for entry in 2027. The announcement came on Wednesday, October 28. The team was only recently announced by Norris in September, so it went from announcement to having a spot on the F2 grid in under two months. The team will stay in the category for the next three-year cycle until the end of 2029.

Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel welcomed the team via an official announcement. “We received strong interest from teams around the world for this new three-year cycle, underlining the strength and appeal of our Championship,” Michel said, according to Motorsport.com

“I am also pleased to welcome LN4 Fusion to the grid,” he added. Norris’ team is the only addition to F2 for next season, along with 10 teams from the previous cycle. LN4 Fusion is the result of Lando Norris buying the assets of race-winning outfit AIX Racing. The grid will now consist of 11 teams and 22 cars, an exact mirror of the current Formula 1 field.

How LN4 Fusion Got Accepted Into F2 So Fast

Norris launched the team on September 2 at an event in Italy during the week of the Italian Grand Prix. He has teamed up with karting outfit Fusion Motorsport and an investment group that is led by Dan Richards, who is also the team’s CEO. The team already had plans for F3 and F4 ready at launch, so getting the approval for F2 was the final hurdle.

Michel explained the selection process earlier in September when he noted that the series has given no special treatment to LN4 Fusion and treated it just like any other applicant. “We’re looking at it like we’re looking at any other request,” Michel said.

He also mentioned that he doesn’t plan to add any more teams to the F2 grid, keeping the number of seats available exactly the same as in F1. Given this, it was a smart move by Norris to buy into an existing team instead of creating one from scratch.

The team also has a very strong leadership group. Rene Rosin will be the team principal, while Guillaume Capietto will serve as the racing director. Both of them come from Prema Racing, and they have been behind successful championship campaigns of many drivers like Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher and Oscar Piastri.

They also helped Pierre Gasly on his way to a title when the series was still called GP2 back in the day. Richards called the F2 entry a major milestone for the team and admitted that he expects tough competition when they arrive on the grid next year. He noted that the team is currently focused on building a strong foundation.

What Comes Next for Lando Norris and His Team

The biggest question for now is who will drive for LN4 Fusion in the team’s first season in F2. No names have been announced as of now. However, the F3 squad is already set with rookies Dion Gowda, Gabriel Gomez and James Egozi.

Many of the other F2 teams are also yet to announce their driver lineup for 2027. The series is set to debut its new car next year, which is based on the current generation of Formula 1 cars, so LN4 Fusion will not have to catch up to years of development. The team will learn the new car along with everyone else on the grid.

It is expected that the team’s livery will have plenty of Norris’ signature fluorescent yellow featured on the cars, just like it was seen during the launch event.

While the F2 entry is new, the team already has confirmed spots in Italian F4, the Formula Regional European Championship and F3. It also has a British F4 testing program in Cambridgeshire. Norris also funds the team’s Legacy Programme personally, and he described it as “helping talented young drivers get opportunities they might not otherwise have.”

Going from launch to getting approval for F2 took less than 2 months. It will be interesting to see how long it’s going to take for the outfit to start fighting for wins and titles.

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