‘I’m not the boss’: world champion is articulate and open - when he’s allowed to be

Lando Norris McLaren driver speaks with deep candour about overcoming his insecurities but questions about Max Verstappen and regulations? Off limits

- Donald McRae

There are always complications and difficulties in Formula One, as there are in life and even in this interview. On a beautiful evening at a lavish golf club in Surrey, Lando Norris and I are tucked away in an anonymous yet brightly-lit room crammed with a television crew and representatives from his management team and Laureus, the global organisation driven by a belief that “sport has the power to change the world”.

At first Norris talks thoughtfully and honestly about his struggles with profound insecurity before becoming world champion last year. But we reach a low point when a young man from his management company feels sufficiently empowered to answer questions on the 26-year-old’s behalf, as a way of controlling our interview.

The racing driver has just been filmed in this room as he makes a short acceptance speech to accept the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year - an award previously given to Rafael Nadal, Lewis Hamilton, Andy Murray, Rory Mcllroy, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal.

Sir Chris Hoy has presented it here because Norris could not attend the glittering ceremony in Madrid last night. The trophy sits on the table between us and Norris sounds proud as he tells me that “any opportunity where I go alongside champions from other sports is incredible. I never dreamed of that as a kid. Certain people know when they’re a child they’re going to be a champion. My mindset was never like that. It was never: ‘I’m going to do this.’ It was always: ‘Can I? Am I able to?’ So this is not just a trophy. It’s a realisation that my name is alongside incredible people. It’s like I’m in their world and that’s a beautiful thing.”

The Laureus award was announced with Norris trying to recover from a disappointing start to the new season. He languishes in fifth position, 47 points behind the teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.