Carlos Sainz paid a moving tribute to his former McLaren partner and friend, Lando Norris, celebrating his victory as the new Formula 1 World Drivers’ Champion.
In a genuine display of camaraderie, the Spanish driver—who partnered Norris from 2019 to 2020, forming the fan-favorite duo dubbed “Carlando”—made a point of congratulating Norris immediately after the championship-clinching race.
Sainz was effusive in his praise, not just for Norris’s talent, but for his character. “Honestly, very happy for him. I think he’s a great F1 driver, unbelievably fast,” Sainz told the media.
Proving the Critics Wrong
The Williams driver strongly defended Norris against critics who questioned his approach, noting that Norris had faced scrutiny “for being how he is.”
“He’s world champion and everyone can keep dreaming about being F1 world champion while he goes about his own way and does things his own way,” Sainz stated. “I’m extremely happy for him because he must have felt a lot of pressure… and he managed to pull it off.”
Sainz confirmed that he recognized Norris’s phenomenal potential early on during their time at McLaren. “The first years at McLaren, I saw a guy who had the speed to be multiple world champion if it was purely down to speed,” he told Sky Sports F1.
A Champion Who is “True to Himself”
However, the deepest joy for Sainz comes from what Norris’s title means beyond the racetrack.
“More than anything, I’m happy for him as a person because he’s a driver that doesn’t follow the typical stereotypes of a world champion,” Sainz concluded. “He’s always stayed true to himself, very honest, very open about his own struggles, and proven to everyone you can be world champion being a nice guy, that you don’t have to be ruthless or badass.”
