Lando Norris is Formula 1 World Champion and celebrated until the early hours of the morning – The McLaren driver reports on a surreal night with his team and family
Lando Norris has revealed how he celebrated winning his first Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship in Abu Dhabi. A third-place finish behind race winner Max Verstappen and his teammate Oscar Piastri at the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit was enough for the McLaren driver to seal the deal.
After extensive celebrations at the track, the Briton set off on a very long night that lasted until the early hours of the morning.
“I celebrated with my team, with everyone, with as many people as possible,” Norris told BBC Sport. “We had a small team gathering. Just McLaren, friends, and family near the hotel. A few drinks for them, and then we extended the celebrations and took it up a notch.”
Norris on the success: “But I celebrated a lot because that’s it now. It’s not like, ‘Okay, one more step or one more year to achieve that.’ What we achieved yesterday was it, that was the last piece of the puzzle.”
“Congratulations, world champion”: A whole new sound
Despite the party, the success doesn’t quite feel real yet for the 25-year-old. “I still find it very surreal when someone says, ‘Congratulations, world champion’ or something like that,” Norris admits. “It definitely has a completely different sound to it than just saying ‘Congratulations, Lando’ or whatever. I don’t know, because I think it’s just such a remarkable achievement.”
Norris has entered the history books with his triumph: he is the 35th driver in the history of the premier class to win a world championship title and only the eleventh British driver to do so.
Exclusive club
He joins an illustrious list that includes Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Lewis Hamilton, and Jenson Button.
“The 35th driver, I believe, to have achieved this. The 35th in the world, and I am privileged to be one of them,” he adds proudly. “Eleven Britons. The British are doing well. The British have always done well in Formula 1.”
The competitive situation in particular makes the title valuable to him: “I’m also very proud that I’m still racing against [world champions] on the current starting grid. There are a good number of them, and of course it’s pretty incredible for the British that my name is now alongside theirs.”