Lando Norris and McLaren Nominated for Prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards

McLaren's Lando Norris and the McLaren F1 team have been nominated for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards, recognized for their dominant 2025 season. Norris is shortlisted for the World Breakthrough of the Year award after clinching his maiden Formula 1 Drivers' Championship with seven Grand Prix wins, while the McLaren squad is in contention for the World Team of the Year honor.

Why it matters:

The Laureus Awards are among the most prestigious accolades in global sports, often described as the "Oscars of Sport." Recognition here signifies that an athlete's or team's achievements have transcended their own sport to capture worldwide attention. For Norris, a nomination alongside global stars validates his breakthrough season as a landmark moment in sports. For McLaren, it marks a triumphant return to the pinnacle of F1 as a complete team operation.

The details:

• Norris's Competition: In the Breakthrough category, Norris faces darts phenom Luke Littler, PSG footballer Désiré Doué, tennis prodigy João Fonseca, NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and 12-year-old swimming medalist Yu Zidi.
• McLaren's Contenders: The McLaren F1 team is nominated for World Team of the Year against the England Women's Football Team, the European Ryder Cup Team, the India Women's Cricket Team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Paris Saint-Germain.
• Other Notable Nominees: Rory McIlroy is nominated for World Comeback of the Year after ending his 11-year major drought by winning The Masters. In the premier Sportsman category, Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé faces tennis stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

What's next:

The winners will be selected by the Laureus World Sports Academy, a jury comprising 69 of the greatest living sports legends, and announced at a global ceremony later this year. A win for Norris or McLaren would place them in an elite group of motor racing honorees, joining past winners like Max Verstappen (2022 Sportsman of the Year) and Michael Schumacher. The nominations alone cement their 2025 season as one of the defining sports narratives of the year.