Formula 1 star Lando Norris ‘was put in a headlock and robbed of his £144,000 Richard Mille watch’

F1 star Lando Norris was held in a headlock after the Euro 2020 final at Wembley and robbed of his £144,000 designer watch on his sports car, a court heard today.

The 23-year-old McLaren driver was held by an unidentified man and the unique Richard Mille RM 67-02 watch – specially designed for the racer – was violently ripped from his wrist by a second man.

Harrow Crown Court has heard today that Liam Williams, 25, from Bootle, Merseyside, is accused of being the person who stole the watch and left his DNA on the racer’s arm.

Williams has pleaded not guilty to robbing Norris outside the stadium on July 11, 2021 after England lost to Italy on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

Norris had driven his £165,000 bright orange McLaren GT sportscar from the Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​to attend the final and was parked in the yellow car park.

Liam Williams, 25, from Bootle, Merseyside, is the man accused of stealing the watch

Lando Norris, Austrian F1 Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring on July 3, 2021 in Spielberg, Austria

Prosecutor Tyrone Silcott told the jury: “Some of you who are interested in football may remember that day, the day England lost the Euro final at Wembley.

“Mr Norris was at that game and when he was returning to his car after the game his watch was stolen by two men. The Crown’s case is that this defendant is one of those two men.

“We all agree, both the Crown and the Defense, that Mr Norris was robbed. We don’t have to decide if it was a robbery and there’s no dispute that two men stole his watch.

“The case boils down to one question. Are you sure the defendant was one of those two robbers? If you are, you will judge him.’

The prosecutor added further details: “He parked a beautiful bright orange McLaren motorsport vehicle and as he walked back to his car he was speaking to members of the public.

The unique RM 67-02 watch – specially designed for the racing driver – was captured in the robbery

“He noticed two men walking around his car and one approached and asked, ‘Is that your car?’

‘He went after Mr Norris and grabbed him. He put his right arm around his neck and his left arm behind his back and pulled Mr. Norris back so he was facing the sky.

“The one who pulled him back called the accomplice to get the watch and the other man pulled the watch off his wrist, scratching his left wrist in the process.

“Mr. Norris could describe one as a white man of average build, short hair, in his mid-twenties to thirties, who he believed had a London accent.

“This defendant does not have a London accent,” Mr Silcott added. “He also described the first man as wearing a black hooded jacket and black pants.

“The second man was wearing gray clothing and had a hood on and Mr Norris did not see that man, he stood back and didn’t think he would recognize that man.”

CCTV recorded the incident. “You can see someone walking behind the figure and pulling him back, but there’s no way of identifying him from CCTV.”

The watch was described as a limited edition prototype with a custom blue strap designed for the racer and was never available for retail.

Two swabs were taken from Mr Norris’ left wrist, which revealed that Williams’ DNA was 37 million times more likely than an unknown individual.

Analysis of his mobile phone also revealed a trip from Liverpool to Wembley Stadium on 11 July, where he remained until the early hours of 12 July before returning home on 13 July.

“There is no reasonable explanation for his DNA being on that scratched wrist.”

During an identity check, the racer could not recognize Williams.

The trial continues, Norris denies the robbery.