Lando Norris, the British McLaren driver who had raced under the number four for his entire career, had one goal: to become a World Champion.

The goal is common to many other drivers who work their way into F1, being the most sought-after title among the many, but only 35 drivers have achieved the great feat.

Lando Norris began karting at the age of eight in England and won his first title in 2014, at age 13, as the Direct-Drive World Champion.

Norris quickly moved on to the junior formula series, winning titles in the MSA Formula Championship, Toyota Racing Series, Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula Renault NEC, and the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.

The year prior to his F3 title in 2017, he won the Autosport BRDC Award, backed by Silverstone, which recognizes promising young drivers from the UK. Other familiar names have received the award, including David Coulthard, George Russell, Zak O’Sullivan, and Luke Browning.

After competing in previous categories, Norris naturally progressed to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2018, where he finished as runner-up to George Russell, who is now a Mercedes Formula One driver and his childhood friend.

In 2019, the Carlin Racing Formula 2 teammates entered Formula One, joining another childhood friend and competitor, Alexander Albon.

Lando Norris entered Formula One as a rookie with McLaren Racing, being the perfect picture driver for the McLaren Young Driver Programme, a development programme through McLaren Racing, of which he was a part since 2017.

The driver must’ve decided papaya was his color because he has only ever raced with McLaren in his seven, going on eight, Formula One seasons.

Norris scored his first points in Formula One in his second race at the Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing sixth just after his debut. However, the rest of his rookie season was a tale of issues.

His rookie season saw retirements and car issues one race after another. The driver in Papaya was familiar with power failures and spending time in the pits.

The following season, 2020, saw his maiden podium at the season opener, the Austrian Grand Prix. Norris also set the fastest lap of the race on the very last lap, securing 16 points.

Unfortunately for Norris, that was his only podium finish in his second season, a statistic to be mirrored in 2022, his fourth season in Formula One.

Lando Norris didn’t stand on the very top step of the podium until the 2024 Miami Grand Prix in his sixth season in Formula One. He would stand on the podium 13 times that season, on the top step 4 of those 13.

The 2025 season was a season of tight battles and success for Lando Norris, as he and his teammate, Oscar Piastri, as well as Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen, traded wins all season.

Oscar Piastri had led the championship standings for the majority of the first half of the season, but Norris eventually closed the gap and started leading the standings at the Mexico City Grand Prix.The championship battle came down to a very tight season closer at Abu Dhabi, with each driver having won 7 races in the 2025 season, but Lando Norris was the one to take home the World Drivers' Championship after a chaotic season, finally living his lifelong dream.  

Lando Norris will race in the 2026 Formula One season with the reserved champion’s number, 1, on his car with the team that has been with him through it all.