Formula 1 Champion Lando Norris: "My Privacy Was Trampled, I Felt Like a Loser"

Lando Norris secured his first victory of 2026 at the beginning of the week, marking his first win as a Formula 1 world champion following his success at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Alongside the professional challenges of this season, the British driver is dealing with intense media scrutiny and spoke about an incident with paparazzi that he said "crossed the line."

In an interview with the "Independent," Norris revealed that repeated attempts by paparazzi to document his every move made him feel "like a loser," as he avoided going out for dinner to escape unwanted attention, choosing instead to stay home and play video games. Norris also disclosed that media personnel followed him for 40 minutes through the streets of London while he was on his way to a friend's house.

"I'm growing up and I want to have the option to go out. Last year I would just play and feel like a loser in my own home. It's not necessarily a bad thing; I kept myself safe and was disciplined. But now, instead of playing until midnight, I go out with friends and eat with them until midnight. I always liked doing that, but now more of it appears on social media and there are more cameras. It's a matter of experiencing life outside the Formula 1 world, and I have the right to do that."

Norris continued:

"The next stage is when paparazzi wait for you in places or follow you. I drove to a friend's house in London and I knew a paparazzi was following me the whole way. He followed me for 40 minutes around London, just to see who I was going to meet and where I was going. It was the first time I started to feel that my privacy was really trampled, as if I couldn't leave the hotel or the house without someone trying to follow my every step."

The 26-year-old McLaren driver, currently fifth in the overall standings, emphasized that his life no longer feels private. "It's part of being a Formula 1 driver, but there are limits, and I'm not willing to accept a situation where people follow me," he concluded.

Norris had been in a relationship with Portuguese model Margarida Corceiro since 2023. The couple separated briefly in 2024 before reconciling in 2025. Magui was present in Abu Dhabi last December when Norris won his first world championship, but it was revealed via TikTok before the current season that the two had parted ways. During pre-season testing in Bahrain, Carlos Sainz was heard asking Norris if he and Magui were okay, to which Norris replied "No," confirming he is now a single man.