Norris reveals the ‘hope’ he now carries after claiming first F1 title
Lando Norris hopes there will be “a little extra level of respect” from his peers now that he is a world champion.
“I hope there’s just a little extra level of respect that comes from achieving something”- Lando Norris
The Briton claimed the first title of his Formula 1 career in his seventh season after a breathtaking three-way showdown with his teammate and Max Verstappen, and will now head into his eighth year tasked with defending his crown as the reigning world champion.
Speaking to GPblog among other media, Norris admitted to feeling a conflicting mix of emotions, while acknowledging he is still some way off multiple champions like Hamilton or Verstappen.
“It is a bizarre feeling. I mean, it’s also amazing. When you compare it to Lewis, I can’t even compare myself to Lewis (Hamilton) because it’s still 7–1. And I’m like, 'I have got to do another six more of those kinds of years to achieve that, or three to get to Max (Verstappen).
“I hope there’s just a little extra level of respect that comes from achieving something, because for the people who know, it takes a lot to achieve what we achieved last season. That’s a cool thing — an extra bonus that comes with it. It’s not required, it’s not asked for, but it’s just something that comes along with it.”
He finally added: “I haven’t spoken to too many other drivers yet, but I spoke to Alex (Albon) and George (Russell) the other day, mainly because we played padel together. With guys like that, who came into Formula 1 around the same time as me, you can see it creates even more hunger for them, which is great to see.”
Norris warns new racing style may take time for fans to get used to
The McLaren driver believes fans may also need time to adjust to the idea of drivers not going completely flat out in qualifying. Speaking to a small group of media outlets, including GPblog, Norris explained: “It was fun to drive. It's different, of course. When you're on a qualifying lap and you have to lift off a little bit.”
The reigning world champion added that as drivers become more accustomed to the approach, they will be able to put on an even better show for viewers watching at home.
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