Reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris admits that his title defence this season has been “pretty horrible” while insisting that “there’s not much more I could have done” given McLaren’s relative underperformance.
But there is no apparent bitterness towards the man poised to take his crown. Quite the opposite.
With Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli on the brink of becoming the sport’s youngest-ever world champion this weekend in Mexico City, Norris is perfectly content to surrender the number one on his car to a successor he believes has thoroughly earned the distinction.
‘I have nothing but respect for Kimi’
The Briton, who fought off both Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in a tense three-way battle to secure his maiden title in 2025, has found himself on the other side of the equation this year.
A combination of Mercedes’ superior machinery and McLaren’s inconsistent form has left him with no realistic prospect of retaining his championship.
And while the circumstances surrounding Antonelli’s impending triumph are considerably less dramatic than Norris’ own championship showdown, he has little patience for arguments about how difficult or straightforward a title victory should be.
“He’s winning a world championship and he’s going to win the world championship,” said Norris on Thursday in Mexico City. “I don’t think anyone really cares how you do it honestly, they shouldn’t.
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“He has done an incredible job and I would say he has done it in a pretty incredible way. People are saying he hasn’t had any tough competition this year but that proves exactly the point that he has done such an incredible a job.
“He’s got a very, very talented team mate that he’s beaten through the whole season. So I have nothing but respect for Kimi and he’s a very, very nice guy. We get along very well and I’m more than happy to pass the number one over to him. He deserves it.
“He’s done an incredible job, especially in his second year in Formula 1, to be the youngest world champion, all of these things that he’s going to achieve, that’s pretty insane. So I’m more than, happy, I enjoy seeing other people have that kind of success, so it’s nice to see.”
No excuses for a painful title defence
Norris’ generous endorsement of Antonelli should not, however, be mistaken for indifference towards his own predicament. The reigning champion has endured a frustrating campaign, particularly given the expectations that naturally accompanied his arrival as the sport’s newest title-holder.
There were encouraging spells, notably back-to-back victories midway through the season in Hungary and the Netherlands, while another potential triumph in Madrid slipped away after the timing of a Virtual Safety Car intervention cost him the lead.
Since then, however, McLaren’s competitiveness has deteriorated markedly. The team has struggled to keep pace with Mercedes and has fallen to fourth in the constructors’ championship, leaving Norris increasingly powerless to influence the outcome of a title fight that has moved beyond his reach.
The 26-year-old was particularly frank when assessing his own campaign, although he was equally keen to distinguish between his performances behind the wheel and the limitations of the machinery at his disposal.
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“I know I’ve had a pretty horrible defensive title, but there’s not much more I could have done,” he said. “I feel like I’ve driven a very, very good season.
“We just have another car [to Mercedes] and that’s nothing that’s really in my control. From my side, I feel I’ve done my very best, and the races where I could fight against him I feel we’ve had good fights and it’s been a good season from that perspective.
“But I’m more than happy to pass the number one over to him because he deserves it easily more than anyone.”
There is an undeniable sting in Norris’ comments. Having spent seven years fighting to reach the summit of Formula 1, he has discovered just how difficult it can be to remain there when the competitive landscape shifts beneath his feet.
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