The value of staying true to yourself in a sport that demands toughness: Lando Norris new world champion
This weekend, Lando Norris was crowned Formula 1 world champion for the first time, becoming the first McLaren driver to achieve this since Lewis Hamilton in 2008. It wasn't an easy title: it was the result of the most consistent season of his career and one of the strongest in recent years.
photo: lnfour
Despite not being the driver with the most wins, pole positions, or laps led in 2025, Norris was the one who reached the podium most often. Out of 24 races, he finished on the podium in 18, and the ones he missed were due to specific reasons: his own mistakes in Canada and Saudi Arabia, a DNF at Zandvoort due to mechanical failures, a disqualification in Las Vegas, and team errors in Qatar and Baku. And even so, of the 21 races he finished, only one (Baku) was outside the top four.
That consistency was his secret weapon. While Max Verstappen lost points on weekends when Red Bull wasn't competitive, and while Oscar Piastri accumulated errors in the second half of the season, Norris was always there: scoring points, minimizing damage, staying in the fight.
Because in Formula 1, and Norris has just proven it, it's not the driver with the most wins who wins, but the most consistent one.
The mental shift that changed his season
The start of the year wasn't easy. Norris struggled with a car that didn't suit his style, made mistakes, and wasn't afraid to openly admit he wasn't feeling well. On more than one occasion, he declared:
“I'm an idiot, it's like I've never driven an F1 car before"
Statements that many used to attack him and question whether he truly had what it took to be a champion.
But his lowest point, the painful DNF at Zandvoort, was what propelled him back to victory. From Mexico to Abu Dhabi, Norris was almost unbeatable: clean weekends, error-free, with a consistency never before seen from him.
“I assume I can do it. I have what it takes. I had my flaws, my mistakes… But now I have the confidence that I can do even better next season,” he told the BBC after winning the title in Abu Dhabi.
Be a champion without changing who you are
Perhaps the most admirable thing about this title is that Norris achieved it without ceasing to be himself. He always rejected the idea of the "killer instinct." He always maintained that it wasn't necessary to be cold like an "Iceman," nor aggressive, nor tough to be a champion. He just wanted to be himself: a good guy, emotional, honest, and transparent.
“I probably just need to believe in myself a little more, because it’s something I never really had as a kid. I was never the biggest or the most aggressive. I’m still the same, I just use my elbows a little more,” he confessed to Skysports.
Carlos Sainz summed it up perfectly after the race:
“He is a driver that doesn’t follow the stereotype. He is always been very true to himself, very honest, very open on his own struggles. He proved to everyone that you can be world champion as a good guys, you dont need to be ruthless or badass to do it and im really proud of him.”
And, true to himself, Norris let out all his emotions when he crossed the finish line.
“Oh shit… you guys made a kid’s dream come true. I love you, guys. You deserve it. I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad. Thank you for everything… I’m not crying,” he said tearfully over the radio.
Humility even on the biggest day of his life
Even on the day he became champion, Norris did not avoid acknowledging that he has made mistakes, especially past statements towards Hamilton or Verstappen.
“I know I sometimes say stupid things… things about Max or things I said about Lewis. Some of them I regret and wish I’d never said. But I think I command more respect than anyone. I respect Oscar, I respect Max. Lewis is a seven-time world champion. You compare him to Schumacher… he’s the greatest driver there’s ever been. I’m not even close to that. I may never be.”
Norris lifted the trophy understanding that the title doesn't make him perfect, but it does demonstrate something: that he is human, that he learns, that he grows, and that he doesn't need to change who he is to reach the top.
At 26, Lando Norris became not only a world champion, but a unique role model: An athlete who demonstrates that strength lies not in hiding emotions, but in confronting them. That consistency triumphs over perfection. And that winning can also be achieved through honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity.
Lando Norris won in his own way. And that, perhaps, is his greatest legacy.
