26-year-old F1 driver from McLaren Lando Norris took a big prize at the Laureus World Sports Awards 2026, winning Breakthrough of Year, recognising his victory in the Formula 1 World Championship. He became only the fifth Formula 1 driver to claim the Breakthrough of the Year Award, after Nico Rosberg (2017), Daniel Ricciardo (2015), Jenson Button (2010), Lewis Hamilton (2008), and Juan Pablo Montoya (2002).
"I managed to win the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious awards an athlete can win. To everyone who voted for me, to the Laureus Nominations Panel, thank you very much for awarding me this incredible prize", Norris said in a recorded speech, as he was unable to attend the Awards ceremony in Spain.
Can Norris be considered a breakthrough anymore?
The Laureus panel highlighted that Norris achieved a first World Championship double since 1998, also crediting teammate Oscar Piastri from McLaren. Norris' victory was impressive, especially with the pressure of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri in the championship... but at 26 years old, and having spent six full seasons in Formula 1 before his winning season, finishing second in 2024, and sixth in 2021 and 2023, is he really a breakthrough star anymore?
Norris competed with much younger sportspeople in this category: darts World No. 1 Luke Littler (18 during 2025), tennis breakthrough star Joao Fonseca (turned 19 in August), PSG's gem Désiré Doué (was 19 when he won Champions League), and the 12-year-old swimmer Yu Zidi.
The other exception in the category was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 27-years-old, NBA champion and MVP in 2025, but hardly a breakthrough star as he had spent six seasons at the NBA, and five with the Oklahoma City Thunder, before his remarkable 2024/25 season.
Previous winners of the Breakthrough of the Year Award include Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, and Patrick Mahomes, who were significantly younger, or at the start of their careers, when they won the recognition... Do you think Lando Norris should have been nominated to the overall Sportsman of the Year category instead?