Formula 1 is back in the spotlight off the track with Lando Norris being awarded at the Laureus 2026. The McLaren driver won the Breakthrough of the Year award, surpassing prominent names in world sports, including Brazilian João Fonseca.
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The recognition comes after Norris’s first world title win in the 2025 F1 season. The award reinforces the Briton’s impact on the global sporting scene, while also highlighting the strength of the new generation, of which the Brazilian is also a part.
The ceremony was held in Madrid on April 20, and awarded athletes who had made a significant leap in their careers. Norris came out on top in a fierce dispute against competitors such as basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and darts phenomenon Luke Littler.
Among the nominees, João Fonseca also stood out. The Brazilian tennis player entered the list after becoming the first athlete from the country to win an ATP 500 tournament, a result that placed him among the main emerging names in world sports.
In Norris’s case, the award crowns a remarkable season in Formula 1. The driver secured the 2025 title at the Abu Dhabi GP, the championship’s conclusion, by finishing the race in third place and surpassing Max Verstappen by just two points in the final standings.
Throughout the 24 stages of the championship, the Briton accumulated seven victories and seven poles, including important triumphs such as the British GP, at home, and a decisive victory in Brazil, which put him in the lead in the final stretch of the dispute.
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With the title, Norris entered the list of Formula 1 world champions and also ended a long drought for McLaren, which had not won the drivers’ championship since 2008, when Lewis Hamilton was champion.
The Laureus Breakthrough of the Year award recognizes athletes who reach a new level in their careers, and the McLaren driver’s performance fit this profile perfectly.
Norris now joins other Formula 1 names who have already won the award, such as Juan Pablo Montoya, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Daniel Ricciardo, and Nico Rosberg, reinforcing the category’s tradition in revealing global impact talents.
Despite the Briton’s victory, João Fonseca’s presence among the nominees also draws attention to the growth of Brazilian sport on the international stage, highlighting a new generation that is beginning to gain prominence outside the country.
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