Lando Norris has been the Formula 1 World Drivers Champion for over 72 hours, and he’s already proven that vulnerability can win.
One driver championship for the best 20 drivers in the world. It’s a feat that every young professional driver dreams of, and for the 26-year-old British Formula 1 Driver, that dream has become a reality. Working with McLaren for 7 years (a record 150+ races with the team), he has made history as the first McLaren champion since 2008.
Norris, who won his maiden race in 2024 and became champion the following year, was scrutinized for his handling of last year’s title fight. The latest season of Drive to Survive, which covered the 2024 racing year, expressed this sentiment:
This clip made it seem like Norris had to change who he was to become a champion. It belittled his efforts as both a driver and a person. There’s a belief that a Formula 1 driver has to be ruthless, with no weaknesses. But he didn’t take it to heart; in fact, he showed everyone just how much openness can come out on top. He proved that you don’t have to be a traditional champion.
MORE: Has Stick been renewed for a second season on Apple TV? Find out here!
Not Weak
Norris has repeatedly shown everyone that vulnerability is not a weakness. Being able to admit when you are wrong, when you need to do better, and being open with your struggles have shaped Norris in ways that make him more than just a good driver. He’s a class act.
One prime example occurred after Montréal 2025, when Norris went for a gap and, unfortunately, sustained damage after hitting his teammate, resulting in a DNF (‘Did Not Finish’). Everyone criticized him, including past F1 champion Nico Rosberg, who had spent the better part of the year being vocal in support of Norris. Rosberg claimed Norris’ Achilles heel is his “mental fragility.”
Rosberg wasn’t the only one who had words about Norris’ mentality. Alan Jones – 1980 F1 Champion – also came at Norris for talking about mental health, and believed that Norris discussing his struggles meant his teammate, Oscar Piastri, had already won. Jones claimed that Norris was too focused on problems rather than the positives, which made him weak.
But Norris remained unbothered. After the incident in Montréal, Norris openly apologized to his team and his teammate for his misjudgment of the gap. An apology that not many drivers would do publicly and gracefully. Despite all the negative comments, Norris took his challenging moments on the chin, put his head down, and refocused. One of the most scrutinized drivers on the grid, especially when vulnerable, remained honest about his struggles and open in his journey.
MORE: You can find out everything we know about Ted Lasso Season 4 here!
Doing It His Way
The one thing Norris continually impressed upon was the need to win the championship “his way.” For him, that meant staying true to who he is and being open with his journey. According to The Guardian’s Giles Richards, Norris said the following:
“I want to enjoy my life. That’s kind of the attitude that’s maybe not as much of a killer instinct. I just don’t think you have to have that to be a world champion. I want to prove you can be a world champion and not have it. I’ll still take risks and I’ll still do whatever I known I can do to be a world champion but without losing the liberty of who I am.”
Other drivers have also applauded Lando for breaking the “stereotype.” Williams’ Carlos Sainz, former McLaren teammate of Norris, stated that “he’s always been very true to himself, very honest. He proved to everyone you can be world champion as a good guy.” Sainz went on to applaud the driver’s openness with his struggles and how that sets him apart.
For Norris, doing it his way means being vulnerable on and off track. A driver who checks in on his fans for World Mental Health Day, takes time to sign things for kids because he remembers the feeling and values his friends and his family. Norris built a brand around sharing motorsport stories, equality, and bridging people together, with vulnerability and openness in mind.
In his openness, we can see that Norris isn’t talking solely about what benefits his mental health, but about what he can do to give back. His loyalty to McLaren is undisputed, even when things didn’t go his way. He doesn’t leave his team or his roots for something new and shiny; he is someone committed to the journey.
That’s even why he is taking on the traditional number 1 as his driver number. When asked about it, Norris told Sky Sports News that it’s for his team and for all the mechanics and engineers who have worked so hard and been away from home. He understands the sacrifices and the mental toll those who work with him have taken, and knows they deserve this happiness too.
Norris knows that this wasn’t just a dream, but a lifetime of sacrifice and work, for him and for others. He counts this championship win as “our win,” not just his own.
MORE: The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins is coming to NBC
Unlike a traditional champion, Norris’ ego took a back seat during the celebrations, as he credits Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and all the legends who came before him to his success. Norris especially displayed vulnerability when he talked about Lewis Hamilton’s impact on his journey in Formula 1.
When noting that his younger self looked up to Lewis, Norris shocked people by acknowledging that his one-time championship win is “not even close” to Hamilton’s 7x championship. Nobody expected such raw honesty and humility from a newly minted championship winner, and nobody expected such vulnerability in terms of what he has not achieved yet.
Hamilton had also texted the young driver Thursday night: “What he [Norris] does works, so don’t change anything, and I guess that’s what he did.” Other drivers believe that Norris has a special vulnerability that can turn into a strength. Norris, speaking to David Coulthard about Hamilton, said seeing his name next to Hamilton’s on the trophy was “nuts.”
Norris even did something somewhat different amongst all the celebrations — he apologized. He took a moment during the champion‘s press conference to acknowledge that he has said things in the heat of the moment that he wishes he could take back. He believes so strongly in supporting others’ mental well-being that he chose accountability for his own actions.
MORE: Is Welcome to Wrexham coming back for another season?
He’s Different…
… and that’s wonderful!
Athletes like Norris are what we need to break the mould. He doesn’t believe that his weaknesses make him any less worthy, but he doesn’t excuse his mistakes as part of a champion’s mentality. He is willing to talk about things a traditional champion would keep quiet about because he knows his openness is his strength, and he wants to acknowledge all the good and all the bad that went into his journey.
Norris’ vulnerability didn’t stop amid the celebrations, as he opted out of a cold-stone reaction. Feeling emotional, he kept his helmet on longer than most after exiting the car. He welcomed his tears and emotional vulnerability alongside his authentic self on the podium. He continues to do so in every interview and celebration, showing that this is a champion who will not become desensitized to humility.
Norris is everything you wouldn’t expect from an F1 driver: vulnerable, honest, and respectful. Norris proves that you do not need to be “overly-aggressive” to be a star. He didn’t win through glitz and glamour, cold demeanour, or by securing first place every time. He won because he was hardworking, resilient, and open – and he’s shown that to everyone.
The young boy who was doing donuts on a makeshift track has climbed from the bottom and taken every challenge anyone has ever thrown at him, coming out a victor. He has taken a sport dominated by bravado and shown people that you can be vulnerable and kind, and still succeed. Most importantly, Norris has shown that emotions are beautiful.
Lando Norris is proof: you can be yourself and still win. Traditions be damned.
MORE: The spinoff series, Delphi, will expand the Creed Universe on Prime Video
—
Formula 1 finds its new home in the US on Apple TV in March.
