Lando Norris full of pride and happiness after success in Florida

Lando Norris said he proved the doubters wrong after taking the first victory of his Formula One career at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

Norris, 24, from Bristol, became the 21st British driver in history to stand on the top step of the podium after he took advantage of a safety car before holding off Max Verstappen.

“Whooooooooooo, whoooooooooooo, I love you all,” yelled an emotional Norris over the radio. “Thank you so much. We did it, Will (Joseph, Norris’ race engineer). We did it.

“I guess that is how it is done. Finally. Oh, I am so happy. I knew it when I came in this morning. I said today is the day, full of opportunities. I nailed it, you nailed it, thank you so much.

“Thanks mum, thanks dad, this one is for my grandma, thank you very much.”

After stepping out of the machine that carried him to victory, Norris put down his yellow crash helmet before running and leaping into the arms of his mechanics.

They hoisted him into the air as a host of drivers – including fellow Briton George Russell and Daniel Ricciardo, the last man to win for McLaren in Monza in 2021 – came over to congratulate Norris.

“About time, huh,” said Norris, who was interviewed by 2009 world champion Jenson Button.

“What a race. It has been a long-time coming. Finally I have managed to do it. I am so happy I have delivered for the team. I am finally on top. I am over the moon.

“I am proud. The whole weekend has been good. I have had some little setbacks along the way. I knew we had the pace, and today we put it together.”

Just last month, Norris became the first driver in F1’s 74-year history to have finished on the podium as many as 14 times without winning.

And in China a fortnight ago he drove brilliantly, only to finish runner-up to Verstappen. However, the race here in Miami belonged to the driver who made his debut as a teenager in Australia in 2019.

He continued: “What do I say to McLaren? I am just proud. I guess people doubted me along the way, and I have made mistakes over the last five years, in my short career, but I stuck with McLaren because I believed in them and today proved exactly that.”

Norris was a popular winner, with Lewis Hamilton, who finished sixth, slowing down on his in-lap before taking both hands off the steering wheel to congratulate his countryman.

“Lando was flying,” said Verstappen after he finished 7.6 seconds behind Norris. “I am very happy for him. It is not going to be his last one. He definitely deserves it today.”