Lando Norris remembers being left speechless with joy when he received his first contract from McLaren. Sitting in the cramped office of a paddock trailer, the confirmation that he had secured a place in Formula One made him “very smiley for a long time”. Seven years later, he begins the new season having fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming world champion and wears an equally uncontainable grin as he prepares to defend his title.
Securing the championship after a season‑long battle that culminated in a dramatic three‑way showdown at the Abu Dhabi finale marked the defining moment of the 26‑year‑old’s career and arguably a turning point.
“I’m always deep in my own head and very reflective about myself,” he says. “It’s always been about proving it to myself. That’s the inner drive I’ve always had. Then when it clicks and I reassure myself, things improve even more. I’ve gained confidence from last year. Just knowing I can do it means I know I can do it again. 100 %.”
Norris has consistently been candid, unafraid to acknowledge his self‑critical nature. He has spoken about a lack of confidence and the negativity that sparked mental‑health struggles early in his F1 tenure. He has since addressed those issues, yet even early last year he admitted he did not consider himself on par with his title rivals – veterans Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, or contemporaries Max Verstappen and George Russell.
Having matched them on the track and emerged victorious gives Norris the certainty that he can challenge and beat the best. “I always had thoughts, looking up and wondering how I could ever compete against guys like that,” he says. “When you get to F1 and you see Max, Lewis, Fernando and Seb [Vettel], you think: ‘Am I really at the same level?’ But I made myself believe I could be. I gave myself the knowledge and belief that I can be as good as Lewis, Max, whoever it is, Fernando, Seb. To be the best I’ve ever been in Formula One. Last year, when I had that chance, just as they had a car quick enough, I proved it to myself.”
Norris underscored his point in emphatic fashion after a fierce duel that swung back and forth with teammate Oscar Piastri, who had led for the first two‑thirds of the season, and a late surge from a resurgent Verstappen in the Red Bull – a looming threat that pushed the contest to the wire, with the Dutch driver finishing just two points behind Norris, who closed the race with steely resolve in Abu Dhabi.
It was a coming‑of‑age for a driver who had long promised much, delivering when McLaren finally produced a championship‑winning car. At the finish he was in tears, yet his face bore a radiant smile that has not faded.
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