It might have been a playful comment, but it was undoubtedly loaded. Lando Norris, fresh from winning his maiden world title in December, was asked how it felt to be acknowledged by his peers as the new champion.
Kicking back in the McLaren Technology Centre on Tuesday evening, speaking to a roomful of journalists for the first time since that epic evening in Abu Dhabi, Norris initially gave the sort of answer one might expect. “Yeah, it’s a bizarre feeling,” he confessed. “Also amazing. I guess it’s just that little extra level of respect that comes from achieving something [so special]. Because I think for the people who know, it takes a lot to achieve what we achieved last season. So that’s a cool thing. But honestly, I’ve not spoken to too many drivers yet.”
Norris then smiled. “Well, I did speak to Alex [Albon] and George [Russell] the other day,” he revealed, “mainly because we played padel together. And yeah, I think, especially for them, because we came into F1 at the same time, it has created more hunger. Especially for George, because he’s the bookies’ favourite [for 2026]... he’s a bit giddy at the minute!”
Norris was laughing as he said it. And he and Russell, one year his senior, do enjoy teasing one another. But he may just have fired the starter’s pistol in what could turn into a historic, season-long battle of the Britons.
At the moment we are still largely guessing, of course. We have not yet had a proper, representative test of these radical new cars for 2026, which feature all-new hybrid engines and chassis and present a completely different challenge to the drivers.
Who knows? Perhaps Adrian Newey’s “aggressive” Aston Martin will surprise everyone. Maybe Ferrari will be back in the mix.
But based on what limited information we do have from last week’s behind-closed-doors “shakedown test” in Barcelona, it appears the longstanding rumours regarding Mercedes’ power unit are true: it is extremely reliable. And powerful.
Mercedes managed more than 500 laps across three days, setting consistently quick times, which is why the bookies have installed Russell as the man to beat.
If that is the case, though, McLaren, who use Mercedes engines, will almost certainly be in the mix, too.
The bookmakers currently have Red Bull’s Max Verstappen as second favourite behind Russell. But that is largely because the Dutchman has proved he can drag even a half-competitive car to the front of the field – and he has no team-mate to take points off him.
One thing is certain, if two Britons do end up competing for the title it would be astonishingly rare. Not since 1968, when Graham Hill beat Jackie Stewart to the crown, have British drivers finished first and second in a drivers’ championship.
Would the gloves come off if they do? Would they continue to play padel with one another? We will have to wait and see, but it would be a fascinating dynamic.
Norris appeared relaxed in his first session of the season. Lamenting the fact that the winter break had been “so short”, he said he had nevertheless been able to spend quality time with friends and family, including on his annual trip to Finland where he goes “to get away from people – just me and some of my mates”.
Having tried to so hard to disconnect from everything, Norris confessed the sight of the number “1” on his car, his helmet and his race overalls at last week’s shakedown test in Barcelona had “brought it all back home again”. In a quip that had shades of Steve Redgrave telling members of the public that they had permission to shoot him if they ever saw him in a boat again, Norris even joked that if he ever stopped smiling, we had his permission to punch him.
“I still have many more years in Formula One and I will still try to get as many more championships as possible,” Norris said. “But if I never do, I’ll still be happy, you know?
“Twenty years I spent, from starting karting to last year, trying to achieve what I achieved... I guess not many people get to achieve their life goal. But that was it. So yeah, if I’m not smiling then give me a punch or something, to remind me, because I achieved my goal in life. And I’m very happy, and proud.”
Norris denied that meant he had lost any motivation or appetite to repeat the feat. Asked whether he thought “serial winners” such as Michael Schumacher, or Lewis Hamilton, or Verstappen would have admitted to being similarly content if they never won again, he demurred.
“I mean, I can’t answer what Michael or all those guys thought. I think it’s quite clear that I have a different mentality, a different approach to say what Max has. Good or bad, you decide. But my motivation to win is exactly the same. I’ve definitely not lost anything. If anything, I think I just have more confidence.”
It promises to be an interesting season. New-look cars, new regulations, which Norris predicted could lead to increased “chaos” on track, as drivers learnt when and how best to deploy their battery “boost mode”. And maybe, just maybe, two Britons fighting it out until the bitter end.