UK PM Starmer Congratulates Norris on F1 Drivers' Championship

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has formally congratulated Lando Norris on securing the Formula 1 drivers' championship, calling it an "unbelievable season" and praising the McLaren driver's team-first perspective after his title-clinching third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Why it matters:

This marks a rare moment of direct political recognition for an F1 champion, signaling the sport's elevated status in British culture. Unlike previous eras where motorsport operated largely outside mainstream political discourse, Starmer's engagement reflects F1's transformation into a source of national pride – particularly significant as Norris becomes the first British driver to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2020.

The Details:

• Starmer posted on social media: "Congratulations, Lando Norris, Britain’s new F1 champion! An unbelievable season and so well deserved."
• During a public event in Surrey, the Prime Minister specifically highlighted Norris's post-race interview where the driver credited McLaren's entire operation.
  • "He was emphasising that he’s the person obviously doing the racing but that can’t happen without the whole McLaren team at every level working with him and for him," Starmer noted.
• Norris secured the championship with 325 points, finishing third in the Abu Dhabi finale behind Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and teammate Oscar Piastri – his sixth podium of a breakthrough season.
• The 24-year-old joins an elite group of British world champions, becoming the 11th driver from the UK to claim motorsport's ultimate prize.

What's next:

Norris's championship victory reignites Britain's historic dominance in F1, with 11 of 34 world champions hailing from the UK – more than any other nation. His success creates immediate pressure on rivals to respond while setting a new benchmark for British motorsport.

• The championship win completes McLaren's remarkable resurgence, transforming the team from midfield strugglers to constructors' champions within three seasons.
• Norris now joins legendary company including Graham Hill (1962, 1968), Jackie Stewart (1969, 1971, 1973), and Lewis Hamilton (7 titles) in Britain's F1 hall of fame.
• With Hamilton moving to Ferrari in 2025, Norris becomes the undisputed standard-bearer for British drivers – a role he's embraced by establishing a new training facility in Woking to develop future UK talent.