Lando Norris on the 'bizarre' feeling of being F1 champion

Lando Norris admits it feels "bizarre" to enter a new Formula 1 season as the reigning world champion, a title he secured in 2024 after a season-long battle primarily with teammate Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver, who ended a 16-year championship drought for the team, acknowledges the new label feels foreign and is now focused on defending his crown against a field that includes legends like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Why it matters:

Norris's championship victory marked a significant shift in F1's competitive order, breaking the dominance of Red Bull and Mercedes and re-establishing McLaren as a top team. His adjustment to the champion's mindset and the target on his back will be a key narrative for the upcoming season, influencing both his own performance and the motivation of his rivals.

The details:

• Norris clinched his first drivers' title in 2024, becoming McLaren's first champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
• His primary rival for most of the season was teammate Oscar Piastri, with Max Verstappen mounting a late challenge that brought the final points gap down to just two.
• The 26-year-old describes the feeling of being champion as both "amazing" and "bizarre," humbly noting the vast gap in achievements between himself and legends like Hamilton (7 titles) and Verstappen (4 titles).
• He hopes the achievement earns him a new level of respect from his peers, acknowledging the immense effort required to win a championship.
• Early interactions with contemporaries like George Russell and Alex Albon, who entered F1 around the same time, have shown him that his success has increased their hunger to win.

What's next:

Norris now faces the challenge of defending his title, a task that brings a different kind of pressure. The dynamics within McLaren, with Piastri proving to be a formidable teammate, and the resurgence of competitors like Verstappen and a motivated George Russell—whom Norris jokingly called "the bookies' favourite"—set the stage for a highly competitive season. How Norris adapts to his new status as the champion everyone is chasing will define his 2025 campaign.