Cisca Wauman, mother of newly crowned Formula One World Champion Lando Norris, was overwhelmed with emotion during a heartfelt Sky Sports interview following her son’s historic triumph at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Norris secured the Drivers’ Championship by finishing third in a tense race, narrowly beating race winner Max Verstappen by just two points.
During the interview, Wauman was deeply moved watching footage of Lewis Hamilton—her son’s childhood hero and seven-time world champion—personally congratulating Norris in the media pen. “That’s special,” she said, struggling to hold back tears as Hamilton expressed how “really, really happy” he was for her son.
Norris’ journey from his roots in Glastonbury to the pinnacle of F1 has been remarkable. He claimed his first Grand Prix victory at the Miami GP earlier in 2024 and, just 18 months later, became only the 35th driver in F1 history to win the world championship. He is the third British F1 world champion of this century, following Hamilton and Jenson Button, and only the eighth Briton to ever claim the title.
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In her emotional interview, Wauman reflected on the sacrifices made throughout Norris’ career. “I’m emotionally drained – so happy for McLaren and all the fans. By the time he was eight, Lando and his brother Ollie were already competing in karting. He missed a lot of childhood,” she said as she recalled the suspense of the final laps. “The last few laps took ages! They kept calling us down with 10 laps to go, saying the race wasn’t over. But we did it.”
On the podium, Norris paid tribute to the dedication and support that fueled his success. “It’s incredible and surreal. I’ve dreamed about this for a long time. A lot goes into a season like this — the ups and downs — but none of that matters as long as you come out on top. I did it with an incredible team, not just this year or the last seven or eight years with McLaren, but the last 16 or 17 years of chasing this dream.”
The Bristol-born driver acknowledged the emotional weight of the victory. “My best performances this year came when I needed them most. I’m proud to share this moment with my family, my girlfriend, and especially my mum and dad who have always supported me.”
Speaking separately to Sky Sports, Norris revealed how thoughts of his mother moved him to tears on the final lap. “I didn’t know if I would cry, but coming under the tunnel on the last lap, I thought of my mum and how happy she’d be — and that made me cry.”
Norris’ father, Adam, also shared his pride: “I watched it quietly alone until the last lap. It was beautiful—a really good feeling. Champion of the world. He’s fast, isn’t he?”