Lando Norris has openly declared his ambition to secure back-to-back Formula One world championships, following his historic maiden title win last year. The British driver, who clinched the crown in a dramatic Abu Dhabi finale, now sets his sights on defending his position at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Norris Becomes 11th British F1 Champion
Norris etched his name into the record books by becoming the eleventh British driver to claim the Formula One world championship. His triumph came after a fiercely contested battle against Red Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri during December's season finale in Abu Dhabi.
While McLaren dominated much of the previous season, the sport has undergone significant regulatory changes, creating uncertainty about which team will emerge strongest when the new campaign begins.
"Absolutely the Goal" to Defend Title
When questioned about his readiness to pursue consecutive championships, Norris responded with clear determination. "It is absolutely the goal," he affirmed. "When you win one, it certainly gives you a lot more confidence."
The 26-year-old driver elaborated on his psychological journey, explaining: "It is different for every driver. You have to find your own way of doing things. There are people with more confidence, and drivers with less. I have never been one to have the most confidence in myself but I certainly have more of it now, that's for sure."
Norris described himself as a "seeing-is-believing kind of guy," revealing that he needed tangible proof of his capabilities before fully embracing championship potential. "I have always had to see myself on the top step and see myself winning to finally believe that I can do it," he admitted.
The turning point came midway through last season when Norris recognised he possessed all necessary elements for success. "I felt like I had everything I needed – the people around me, the team, the car, and my own ability – to go out and win the championship," he recalled. "That's the first time I have had that belief in myself and it turned out to be the correct thing to have."
Balancing F1 Demands with Personal Life
Norris made these comments while attending the Autosport Awards in London, where he received recognition as British Competition Driver of the Year. When asked whether he had revisited footage of his championship-winning moment in Abu Dhabi, the McLaren driver revealed he had deliberately avoided doing so.
"No I have not," Norris confessed. "I have honestly tried to be as far from everything as possible and just enjoying the rest of my life."
He elaborated on his approach to balancing professional demands with personal fulfillment: "I love Formula One, I also love being away from it. It is an incredible job, I get paid well, and I get to travel with my friends and play golf in beautiful places and I like to go and do those other things. You have one life and I want to try, and enjoy, as many things as possible."
McLaren's Strategic Testing Approach
Norris will have his first opportunity to drive the car he hopes will propel him to consecutive titles during next week's behind-closed-doors test in Barcelona, scheduled to begin on Monday. However, in a somewhat surprising development, McLaren has chosen not to participate in the first of five available testing days at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Teams are permitted to run on only three of the five testing days, and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained their strategic decision. "We plan to start testing either on day two or day three," Stella revealed. "We wanted to give ourselves as much time as possible for development and this was always going to be plan A."
Stella highlighted the unprecedented nature of development work required for the 2026 season. "There has been so much work on the 2026 cars," he noted. "It is almost unprecedented because there has never before been such a huge and simultaneous change of chassis, power unit, and tyres."
Following the Barcelona test, two additional pre-season testing sessions will take place in Bahrain next month, with the season officially commencing at the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.
