After the World Cup decision at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, fellow drivers and those responsible from the Formula 1 paddock commented on the new world champion Lando Norris.
In an interview with Sky, Nico Rosberg called him a “well-deserved world champion” and said: “Lando proved that again this weekend. He didn’t make a mistake under immense pressure and delivered. It was a perfect weekend: sensational and great. And I totally feel that.”
Rosberg was reminded of his own World Cup success in 2016 at the same place by Norris’ title win in Abu Dhabi. “That’s why I laugh a lot when I see him with his emotions and his parents.”
Will Norris only get better with the title?
But unlike Rosberg, who ended his racing career after winning the title, Norris will continue. And Rosberg believes: Norris will emerge from the 2025 season stronger: “That gives you that next step in self-confidence because you have proven that you have what it takes to be a world champion. That’s then over. Nobody can take that away from you. Maybe next year we’ll see an even stronger Lando Norris.”
McLaren boss Zak Brown considers Norris to be a very “mature world champion,” as he said after the season finale. “His management and his family have done a really great job of shaping him into this. This is a great achievement and a real asset.”
And Brown lives a little bit of Norris’s title win for himself: “Every racing driver wants to become world champion one day. You have had this dream since you were little. It was my dream too – but I didn’t make it into Formula 1 and I didn’t win any races either. It’s great that we’ve now done it together.”
Respect for Norris’ attitude
Norris’ former McLaren teammate Carlos Sainz particularly admires Norris’ attitude: “He was often criticized in the past for the way he is. But now he is world champion and just keeps doing his thing. I’m really happy for him because he must have been under a lot of pressure in the last few weeks. Nevertheless, he managed to win this title.”
Red Bull sports director Helmut Marko sees it similarly and said on Sky: “Lando Norris had a similarly strong phase as us in the second half of the year. Mentally he has recovered and is a worthy world champion – you can’t say anything.”