After 110 races and 15 podiums, Lando Norris finally silenced the doubters to win his first-ever Formula One Grand Prix in Miami on Sunday.
The 24-year-old British racer, who started sixth, was finally able to get rid of the record of the most podium finishes without a win.
This time, he raced past triple-world champion Max Verstappen in what was an exciting race at the Miami International Autodrome.
A safety car on lap 29, when Williams’s Logan Sargeant crashed, proved to be the decisive moment in the race.
McLaren extended Norris’s opening stint allowing him to benefit from a free pit stop. He emerged from the pits with a lead over Verstappen, who finished in second with Charles Leclerc claiming the final podium spot.
Clearly proud that he could finally silence his critics, Norris said post-race that the critics and his family were his biggest motivators to go out and win.
“I never lost faith. I never stopped believing in what I could go out and do. For me to finally prove those people wrong and prove to people that didn’t think I could do it, it’s put an even bigger smile on my face today. I thank all of them,” he said.
“My parents have been so supportive, they’re the ones who are with you from the start. They allowed everything to happen. They’re the ones that got me into racing, supported me. They allowed me to get into Formula One, reach my dream, and do what I’ve loved doing since I was a kid.”
Verstappen credited the Briton for his performance, saying that he was happy to have been beaten by Norris.
“I’m very happy to be beaten by Lando today. He definitely deserved it. It’s great, winning your first race is always quite an emotional event. It brings you back to all the days that you work towards Formula One, and then you dream of being on the podium and finally being on the top step,” the champion said.
Pictured above: Lando Norris.
Image source: @F1
