Max Verstappen parties with Kelly Piquet, Lando Norris chases Northern Lights before 2026 season opener

The 2026 Formula One season is set to be unlike any other, thanks to the new regulations coming into force. Teams have unveiled their new liveries, and drivers have tested their shorter, lighter, and narrower cars during three testing sessions held over the past few weeks. But before getting busy with the packed calendar, the drivers have been enjoying some final downtime with family and friends ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on March 8. While Max Verstappen recently attended a party with girlfriend Kelly Piquet and her friends, reigning F1 champion Lando Norris flew to Norway to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Lando Norris awestruck by Northern Lights in Norway

Lando Norris shared the perfect surprise before returning to the track with No. 1 as his car number. He posted several candid photos from his Norway trip on Instagram and captioned them: “Left this draft in the freezer.”

He certainly seemed to brave the cold, posing in snow-covered landscapes in heavy winter clothing. He traveled with friends to the freezing destination to witness the Northern Lights, and the photos showed him fully embracing the tourist experience.

Showing love for Norris’ pajamas, Arvid Lindblad commented: “banger tune (fire emoji). ps. nice pyjamas.” Many others called him “cutie” for how he looked in checkered pajamas in the first picture.

Norris also took to his Instagram Stories to reveal that the temperature was one degree in Oslo, Norway, at the time of his visit.

Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet party with friends

Kelly Piquet shared a series of photos from a friends’ get-together and captioned them on Instagram: “Le weekend on film.” It referred to how she and boyfriend Max Verstappen spent last weekend.

The pictures show Verstappen in a lightweight fitted sweatshirt and jeans, posing for cheerful selfies with Piquet. A photo shows the couple sitting across from each other at a table. Piquet, meanwhile, was dressed in a black outfit. They appeared to be attending a friend’s birthday celebration.

What’s next in Formula One?

Lando Norris won his maiden F1 World Championship last season, beating four-time world champion Max Verstappen by just two points. The new season will be a clean slate as the updated regulations bring significant changes to the cars and racing format. Most notably, the new F1 cars will feature a revised hybrid system combining electric and combustion power - something Verstappen previously described as “Formula E on steroids.”

The 2026 F1 season begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 8.

Also read: Formula 1 Drive to Survive 8: Christian Horner blames Helmut Marko for his firing, denies Max Verstappen or Jos Verstappen’s role

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