The British Automobile Racing Club and its Council is delighted to announce that it has bestowed 2025 Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris with its highest honour, a BARC Gold Medal.

Awarded by the Council of the BARC for outstanding achievement in motor racing by British subjects, the prestigious prize is only distributed when the Club considers it to be merited.

Dating back to 1955, previous winners of the coveted accolade include Stirling Moss, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

Norris is now the latest name to be added to that roll of honour after claiming a maiden FIA Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship title with the McLaren F1 Team last year.

Having enjoyed karting success from a young age, the 26-year-old soon began to make waves when he made the step up to car racing in 2014, where he claimed multiple wins in the Ginetta Junior Championship.

The following year, the Bristol-born racer stepped up to MSA Formula (now known as British F4) and swept aside the opposition in commanding fashion, claiming a total of eight victories on his way to the Drivers’ title.

At the time, both the Ginetta Junior Championship and MSA Formula featured across race meetings that were organised by the BARC.

Norris’ rise through the ranks continued to make headlines in the subsequent years with success in the likes of Eurocup Formula Renault, the Toyota Racing Series and FIA Formula 3. In 2019, he finally secured a full-time seat in Formula 1 with McLaren.

Aligned with the Woking team ever since, Norris claimed a maiden win in 2024 before going on to finish second in the standings. That in turn set him up for a meteoric 2025 campaign which culminated in him beating Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to the World Drivers’ Championship.

Becoming the 11th British driver to lift the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship, Norris’ awe-inspiring rise to superstardom made him a fitting recipient for the highest accolade that the Club can present.

In January, the BARC headed to the McLaren Technology Centre – home of the Formula 1 World Constructors’ Champions – to catch up with Norris and award him with the coveted BARC Gold Medal.

“To receive the BARC Gold Medal is a true honour so thank you – I really appreciate it,” said Norris. “Being called a Formula 1 World Champion has just about sunk in and it is still the best thing to hear as it cements the fact that we achieved that dream last year.

“I started racing in karting for pure fun but when we made that jump up to Ginetta Juniors and Formula 4 we set that goal that Formula 1 was where we as a family wanted to reach. Every step though always felt like we were still so far away.

“We did it though, and then we managed to win a race, a few more races and the championship. I have to say a big thank you for all the support, especially from the marshals that I see all around the world. Many of them come up to me and say they were there back when it all started.

“To have support from anyone is amazing but it is extra special when it comes from the people that help make the sport what it is; I always try do my best for McLaren and my country. Now it’s time to see if we can do it all over again this year.”