British Formula 1 champion Lando Norris recently shared insights into the flood of congratulatory messages he received after clinching the F1 championship last December. The 25-year-old McLaren driver made history by overcoming a fierce late-season battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, ending Verstappen’s streak of four consecutive titles.
After celebrating in Abu Dhabi well into the early hours, Norris quickly returned to the track, participating in post-season testing just days later. He then took a deserved winter break before attending last week’s pre-season shakedown in Barcelona, where he experienced his first run in the new car, according to reports from the Mirror.
Speaking on The Fast and the Curious podcast, Norris discussed the sheer volume of messages he received from fans, fellow athletes, and celebrities alike. “Honestly, I haven’t read half of them,” he admitted. “There are so many that I haven’t even looked at yet. I’ve probably replied to half, but it’s going to take me a few more days to get through them all, whether on Instagram or WhatsApp.”
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Norris expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support across various sports and generations. “It’s amazing to see so many incredible people reaching out—whether they’re top athletes or folks I’ve watched growing up. The support, congratulations, and respect mean a lot to me. It’s a beautiful thing. I do want to apologize to anyone I haven’t responded to yet.”
When asked specifically about messages from football legend David Beckham, Norris revealed, “We chat from time to time about different things. He did send me a message. David is great—he often pops by the garage at races like Bahrain and Qatar. He’s a really cool guy, so it’s always nice to hear from him.”
Beckham, known worldwide for wearing the number seven shirt during his illustrious football career with England, Manchester United, and Real Madrid, shares a special connection with Norris, who had long raced with the number four displayed on his car, part of his personal “LN4” brand. However, as reigning F1 champion, Norris will this season adopt the number one, a tradition he proudly embraces.
“It’s tradition for a reason,” Norris explained. “It symbolizes the hard work to earn it. Everyone at McLaren—my mechanics, engineers, and the whole team—wears that number with pride. It’s their achievement as much as it is mine. Saying, ‘We are number one’ is way cooler than ‘We are number four,’ so I think they’ll be even happier than I am.”