Lando Norris pipped peer Carlos Sainz to the crown in Abu Dhabi (Image: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Lando Norris was spotted waiting for his former colleague after the chequered flag at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – a testament to their enduring friendship. Despite a valiant effort from ‘s British star in this season’s Drivers’ Championship, the early dominance of eventual champion proved insurmountable.
Nevertheless, Norris, along with team-mate Oscar Piastri, led his team to its first Constructors’ Championship since 1998, edging out ex-team-mate Sainz and by a mere 14 points thanks to his Abu Dhabi victory.
Yet, the camaraderie between Norris and the Spaniard, who spent a year together at the British team, remained evident as they shared their final on-track moments of the season together.
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‘s Sainz, who finished just 5.8 seconds behind Norris, was seen cruising up along his former peer post-race in an on-track moment celebrated by fans. Charles Leclerc completed the podium, but the star will have a different team-mate to Sainz in 2025 in the form of seven-time world champion
He’s set to offer invaluable guidance but also stiffer competition for Leclerc. Norris, clearly close to Sainz, would have been relieved to hear that the Spaniard won’t be without a seat in 2025 too, as he’ll be heading to Williams, allowing their F1 bromance to continue.
“I think the fact we’re not team-mates anymore relieves the pressure that you have with your team-mate, the rivalry,” Sainz in 2023. “When you share the same car, the same team, you know he’s the only other guy who drives the same car as you, so you try to beat him more than anyone else.
“Now we’re not team-mates. We still see each other just as much but even more relaxed. We know we don’t share that rivalry anymore. We still play golf, go for dinner now and then, and enjoy our time together.”
Norris allowed Sainz to pull next to him after the flag (Image: Getty)
These sentiments had already been echoed by in 2022, who confirmed that despite no longer sharing the same team, the duo remain close friends.
“We still speak to each other every now and then,” Norris admitted. “I guess maybe not as often or as closely as we were [in the] past couple of years. But no, we’re still mates. We still get along. As much as the rivalry’s probably increased, and he wants to beat me, and I want to beat him, and [the] teams want to beat each other, we still just have a lot of respect for each other.
“I don’t think that takes anything away from who we are, no matter what team we’re in. I guess we just don’t spend as much time together, but we still play golf, and we still have that competitive side of us.
“So we still get to play now and then. But when we’re on track, I think no matter how good mates you are with anyone – on or off the track, or off the track – when you’re on track, you kind of forget about all of that, and you just want to beat everyone no matter what colour car they’re in.”