Lando Norris praised for 'weaknesses' as F1 champion

Former F1 star Ralf Schumacher has praised Lando Norris' ability to become world champion despite his 'weaknesses'.

Norris wrapped up the 2025 drivers' championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend to become world champion for the first time, beating Max Verstappen by two points.

Verstappen won the most grands prix in the season - eight - while Norris' team-mate Oscar Piastri led the championship between April and October, yet it was Norris who eventually came up trumps.

And that was despite the champion at one stage being 34 points behind Piastri, after the Dutch GP.

Norris made several mistakes throughout the season and was often very critical of himself during interviews, but he managed to find his form at the right time to take advantage of Piastri's struggles.

Now, Sky Germany pundit Schumacher has commended Norris for winning the title despite what he believes are 'weaknesses' in the Brit's driving skills.

"I am particularly pleased that someone who accepts his weaknesses has become world champion," Schumacher told Sport1. "That took a lot of strength on his part.

"We often discussed this in the media, especially his qualifying mistakes. But he shows that you don't have to be perfect to become world champion.

"Will he ever be able to match the successes of Max, Michael or Lewis? I don't think so. It takes too much strength."

Will Norris win another title?

Norris is hoping that 2026 can be just as fruitful for him, but new regulations might make it trickier for McLaren.

The team dominated the 2025 season, winning 14 of 24 grands prix, but 2026 could see a complete shake up of the competitive order with one of the largest regulations resets ever seen.

Mercedes are rumoured to be best placed to master the regulations, but McLaren will still hope to be there or there abouts when it comes to race victories in 2026.

Beyond that, of course, there are many unknowns, including how long Norris will look to stay with McLaren if they are not in a position to challenge for championships, but a lot will be riding on 2026 performance for both the team and their drivers.

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