The phrase “Lando Norris – world champion” has long been scribed into hardcover. A decade ago, the baby-faced Somerset racer was the chief protagonist in a 32-page children’s book, depicting his karting rivalry with compatriot Callum Ilott. At that point, it was an old-school marketing ploy, telling the story of Norris’s victory at the Essay Karting Circuit in northern France, when in 2014 he became the youngest-ever karting world champion, aged just 14.
Two-and-a-half years later, Norris signed for McLaren’s driver development programme. The rest is history.
Norris celebrates with his team during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday (Getty)
Those days on the road as a junior, with his father Adam and mother Cisca by his side, all came flooding back on one emotional evening in Abu Dhabi as Norris, 26, became Britain’s 11th Formula 1 world champion.
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“All those years ago, when I saw F1 on the TV and I saw a go-kart for the first time, those memories were there on the last couple of laps,” Norris said, after sealing the podium he needed on Sunday night to pip race winner Max Verstappen to the 2025 title by two points.
“It took me back to where it all started. I wouldn’t be here without my parents, the sacrifices they’ve made, my brothers and sisters, just everything that goes into achieving what we all achieved today.
“This is not my world championship. This is ours.”
By the time a shattered Norris slumped onto the press conference sofa in the Yas Marina press centre, powered only by a combination of Monster energy drink, an undisclosed alcoholic spirit and prizewinning adrenaline, it had been nearly two hours since the chequered flag had waved. A dozen interviews down already, Norris would have been forgiven for wanting to be anywhere else but here.
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But to his credit, and in a manner he has at times struggled to stay true to throughout this topsy-turvy 24-race juggernaut of a season, Norris answered each question with a sincerity and candour, explaining how he staved off Verstappen’s magnificent comeback charge and the challenge of his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Norris, then 14, was the main protagonist in a children’s book about his world karting triumph a decade ago (Edge)
At his greatest hour, an emotional Norris opened up with grace, responding earnestly to critics who have labelled him too weak to reach the summit of single-seater motorsport.
He said: “If you compare me to all the champions from the past, have I been as aggressive as them? No. Have I been as daring? No.
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“But did I do what I needed to win a world championship and perform under the most pressure – and did I come back the way I needed to? I did. What makes me very proud is that I proved myself wrong.
Norris was emotional as he reflected on his season at the post-race press conference (Getty)
“Could I have been more aggressive and got off the brakes and had a few people over? I certainly could have done, and maybe I need to do that in the future. But is that me? No. I had tough moments but I believe I won the championship this year my way: by being a fair and honest driver.”
Norris hugs his mother, Cisca, and father, Adam, after a win this year (Getty)
Whether he quite meant the obvious Frank Sinatra lyrical reference is unclear. But Norris’s words carried a deeper weight, particularly when assessed alongside his fluctuating performances this season. While standout victories in Australia, Monaco and Silverstone kept him in touch in the first half of the season, significant errors in qualifying threatened to derail his title tilt. A senseless collision with Piastri in Canada was his nadir.
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“I spoke to a lot of people, I needed to understand – why am I doing this?” he said. “Why am I getting nervous in qualifying? Why am I making the decisions that I’m making? The speed is always there, but I just wasn’t putting things together.”
Norris’s collision with Oscar Piastri in Canada was his lowest moment (Getty)
Yet sometimes, what looks like a moment of rotten luck can actually be a game-changer. Norris’s mechanical retirement in Zandvoort left him 34 points behind Piastri with nine races remaining. This correspondent noted then that Norris had to break the habit of a lifetime and thrive as the aggressor on track. And he did just that, most notably in Singapore, when he boldly shoved his way past Piastri at the start.
“I needed to understand things at a deeper level,” Norris recalled. “That opened a lot of doors in terms of understanding how I need to perform at a world championship level. The struggles turned into strength and I’m thankful I had those tough moments early on.
Max Verstappen won the race but Norris took the glory (Getty)
“In the last three months, when there’s been more pressure than ever, that’s when I felt most comfortable.” Brilliant victories from pole in Mexico and Brazil, and his apathy at jeers directed his way, speak to that. While Piastri flailed at just the wrong time, Norris wrestled control of the leaderboard. So much so that McLaren could screw-up twice, in Las Vegas and Qatar, and still have a substantial margin for error at the season finale.
Norris celebrates with his McLaren team (Getty)
It wasn’t all smooth sailing on Sunday, either. Norris lost second place on lap one to a brilliant Piastri move. Charles Leclerc threatened for 10 laps or so, within DRS range, but Norris defended valiantly. Eventually, McLaren’s raw speed meant third place never looked in doubt.
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And in a title race ultimately decided by just two points, for the nearly-men, it was difficult not to reflect on key turning points. Piastri will rue his error at the season opener in Australia; Verstappen, his collision with George Russell in Spain, in spite of his spikiness at such suggestions on Sunday. Yet Norris found a critical inner edge with the peak in sight, fulfilling his tag of pre-season favourite, while remaining true to his values.
Of course, Norris comes from a privileged background. His dad is a millionaire and funded most of his karting journey and junior tests. But that alone does not buy you world championships; you still need the skillset, hard graft and killer instinct. It is actually quite telling that, regardless of his wealthy upbringing, you will not find a more popular winner, or family, across the entire paddock.
“I know at times I say stupid things, things I regret,” Norris signed off, now very much ready to soak in the champagne back with his team. “But I honestly believe I show more respect to everyone, whether it be Max or Oscar, than anyone else does. Yes, I really hate it when you write crap about me.
“But I do things my way – and that’s just trying to be a good person and a good team member. I won it the way I wanted to win it… not by being someone I’m not.”
