Nigel Mansell Welcomes Lando Norris to the 'Select Club' of F1 Champions

Nigel Mansell has welcomed Lando Norris into the exclusive club of Formula 1 World Champions, praising the Briton for his title-winning season. Mansell, the 1992 champion, highlighted the profound personal and professional shift that comes with achieving the sport's ultimate prize, drawing from his own experience to illustrate the unique feeling of becoming a champion.

Why it matters:

Becoming a Formula 1 World Champion is a transformative milestone that reshapes a driver's career and life. Mansell's perspective underscores that the achievement grants entry into an elite group—only 34 drivers in history—and opens a new chapter filled with different pressures and opportunities, fundamentally altering how a driver is perceived within the sport and beyond.

The details:

• Mansell appeared on BBC Breakfast to congratulate Norris, stating the McLaren driver "did a fantastic job and enough to climb that last step."
• He emphasized the surreal nature of the achievement, noting, "you dream of becoming a world champion and it isn't until you actually achieve it you realize it's an unbelievable dream come true."
• Reflecting on his own 1992 title win in Hungary, Mansell recalled a poignant moment with Ayrton Senna, who told him winning the championship was "the most wonderful feeling in the world."
• Mansell framed the group of champions as a "very special private club," formally welcoming Norris to its ranks.

What's next:

According to Mansell, Norris's life will change immediately, with new opportunities and attention coming his way daily. The real challenge now shifts from winning a first title to defending it, managing increased expectations, and leveraging champion status for long-term success. Norris's celebration, reportedly involving significant expenditure at a nightclub, marks the end of one journey and the intense beginning of another as F1's newest title-holder.