CHAMPION: LANDO NORRIS PROVES TALENT TRUMPS MONEY FOR F1 CROWN
Norris ends McLaren's 17-year title drought, joining Hamilton and Button as the only British champions since 1996. He defeated Verstappen and Piastri with skill and focus.
It was clear early on that Lando Norris was going to be a big deal in racing. One thing he had going for him was financial support, which many talented young racers lack.
His dad, Adam Norris, who made his money in pensions and was worth around £200 million in 2022, paid for his racing career. So, Lando always had the best equipment and plenty of time on the track to hone his skills.
His path to the top of racing was made a bit easier because of his family's money. But money alone can't buy what Norris has achieved. His talent is what made him Britain's latest Formula 1 champion.
Over the years, some drivers who came from wealthy families have gotten into F1 but didn't show the skill to back it up. Long before winning his F1 title, Norris had already proved he was more than just a pay driver.
After winning the F3 title as a rookie and almost winning in F2 against George Russell, McLaren was confident enough to bring him up to F1. Norris started his F1 career shortly after turning 19 and made an immediate impression, finishing sixth in only his second race, even though McLaren wasn't as good as it is today.
He was behind his teammate Carlos Sainz that year, but Sainz had been in F1 for a while. Norris improved significantly in their second season together. Then, in 2021, he became the clear team leader when Sainz left for Ferrari, and Daniel Ricciardo replaced him.
He almost won his first F1 race twice in 2021. First, Ricciardo led a one-two finish at Monza. Then, in Russia, victory was snatched away from him. Norris led for most of the race, but a sudden rainstorm caused him to slide off the track because he stayed on slick tyres.
He had to wait almost three more years before finally winning in Miami last May. "I've finally done it for them," he said after the race, referring to the team that had believed in him.
Now, at 26, he has won McLaren's first driver's title since Lewis Hamilton 17 years ago. He faced tough competition from Max Verstappen and his teammate Oscar Piastri.
Even though he received some for being open about his past mental health struggles, Norris stayed focused. He joins the small group of British World Champions since Damon Hill almost 30 years ago, along with Hamilton and Jenson Button.
THE 2026 ULTIMATUM: WHY NEXT SEASON IS "MAKE OR BREAK" FOR LEWIS HAMILTON
After a winless 2025 debut, Lewis Hamilton faces a pivotal year. See why Steiner believes the 7x champ is nearing the F1 exit.
Guenther Steiner, who used to run the Haas team, thinks Lewis Hamilton might quit Formula 1 if Ferrari can't get to the top of the Driver's Championship by 2026—he thinks that season will be super important for the racing star.
Hamilton had a tough first year with Ferrari, ending up sixth in the F1 rankings with 156 points.
That was 86 points behind his teammate, Charles Leclerc, and he didn't even get on the podium once, which is a first for him in a full season.
He often said he was bummed out about how his Ferrari debut was going.
Back in November, after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, he told Sky Sports, I feel awful. This has been the worst season ever, and it just keeps getting worse no matter how hard I try. I'm trying everything I can, both in and out of the car.
Hamilton looked pretty sad a lot during the season because he couldn't really fight for race wins.
Steiner told Sports Krone, I think if Ferrari has a good car next season, Hamilton might be able to turn things around. If they are more competitive, Lewis might find his drive again. But if things stay the same, next season will probably be his last in Formula 1. He's not going to go through that again. The situation is tough for him, and you could see that in every interview. So, the next season will be key for him.
What's Hamilton saying about quitting?
When the media asks Hamilton about his F1 future, he doesn't want to talk about retiring.
At the end of the season, when someone asked him what he would say to those who think he might retire soon, the 40-year-old said, I wouldn't say anything to them. None of them have done what I've done, so they don't know anything more than I do.
Last summer, after some rumors that he might leave early, Hamilton said he's staying at Ferrari until his contract is up.
He said, For those writing stories about me thinking about not racing, I've just started here with Ferrari. I've been here for a few years, and I'm in it for the long run, so there's no question about what I'm focused on achieving with this team. There are zero doubts, so please stop making stuff up.
In 2026, everyone will still be wondering about Hamilton's future in F1, mainly if Ferrari keeps struggling with the new rules. And if Steiner is right, another year of not competing for a championship could be the end for him.
MAX VERSTAPPEN NAMED PEER-VOTED DRIVER OF THE YEAR FOR FIFTH CONSECUTIVE SEASON
Max Verstappen wins his 5th straight F1 peer award, beating champion Lando Norris. Lewis Hamilton drops out of the top 10 for the first time.
Max Verstappen copped his fifth straight driver-of-the-year award in Formula 1's secret peer vote, even though he almost grabbed a fifth title in 2025 but didn't quite make it.
The drivers all voted in secret, except for four guys. The Red Bull driver beat out Lando Norris, who just won the world championship, for the number one spot.
The voting worked like the normal F1 points system. Drivers ranked their top 10 rivals. Verstappen got 25 points from six votes to win.
Norris, who won his first championship after a crazy season, came in second in the driver rankings for the second year running.
The McLaren driver won the title after fighting off pressure from Verstappen and his teammate, Oscar Piastri, all season long.
George Russell took third, moving up one spot from last year. The Mercedes driver had a killer season with two wins and seven more podiums.
Piastri was fourth, up one spot, even though his championship hopes fizzled out near the end. The Aussie was leading by 34 points at one point before his performance dropped off.
Charles Leclerc finished fifth, down two spots, even though he got everything he could out of Ferrari's SF-25. The Monegasque driver had seven podiums during a tough season that saw Ferrari finish fourth.
Carlos Sainz held onto sixth after a great comeback at Williams. After a rough start, the Spaniard grabbed two podiums in a strong second half of the season.
Fernando Alonso jumped two spots to seventh, and the two-time world champion had some crazy drives in Aston Martin's AMR25.
Alex Albon took eighth after his best season with Williams, while rookies Oliver Bearman and Isack Hadjar rounded out the top 10, getting props for their awesome first seasons.
Pierre Gasly almost made the list, even with 10 Q3 appearances in Alpine's tricky A525.
Lewis Hamilton, who's won seven world championships, didn't show up in the rankings, which is a first since they started doing this poll. It shows how rough his first season at Ferrari was.
The four drivers who skipped the vote were Hamilton, Nico Hulkenberg, Lance Stroll, and Yuki Tsunoda.