Sports
'It's been a long time coming': F1 drivers react to Norris’ maiden win in Miami
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A smile kept creeping onto Lando Norris’s face throughout post-race media sessions.
His maiden Formula One victory has been a long-time coming. He’s come close a couple of times, only to be foiled by small errors, like in Qatar 2023, and things out of his control, like the rain and strategy calls from Sochi 2021. He joined the F1 grid in 2019 with McLaren as a 19-year-old, and now in his sixth season and heading into the Miami Grand Prix weekend, the Briton had secured one pole position, stood on the podium 15 times, and driven over 6,000 laps.
As each driver stopped in the media pen for interviews, nearly every one touched on the same point: It’s about time.
Fernando Alonso predicted this would be “the first of many wins” for Lando Norris. (Kym Illman/Getty Images)
“Well done to Lando,” Fernando Alonso said. “First win after so many podiums. I’m really happy for him. Hopefully he (remembers) this day — the first of many wins.” The Aston Martin driver wasn’t the only one who indicated that this wouldn’t be the final victory for the 24-year-old. Max Verstappen said, “I’m very happy for Lando. It’s been a long time coming. And it’s not going to be his last. He deserves it today.”
The victory came at a crucial moment in the sport. Over the last 28 grands prix, Red Bull has topped all but two races, Singapore 2023 and Australia 2024, both won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Verstappen has gone largely unchallenged, building a fairly decent lead race after race. But in Miami this weekend, McLaren took advantage of the chance it got to beat Red Bull in a straight fight. As Norris pulled ahead from Verstappen after the safety cars, it became a matter of fresh tires and clean air beating a wickedly fast car.
“I’m very happy for Lando. It’s been a long time coming. And it’s not going to be his last. He deserves it today,” Max Verstappen (left) said of Lando Norris (right). (Giorgio Viera / AFP)
“He’s deserving of a race victory probably many, many years ago,” Mercedes’ George Russell said. “And I think for all the drivers in Formula One in this era of dominance from one team and one driver, it’s always great to see somebody get that chance to score a victory.”
Norris started last year’s Miami GP 16th and finished P17 for a struggling McLaren, which turned its season around in the second half of 2023. Now, it has its first win in three years. Oscar Piastri said he was “very happy for (Norris) and for the whole team, and I think we deserve it. Our trajectory in the last 12 months has been towards this moment.”
Lewis Hamilton reminisced about his first F1 victory, which also was with McLaren, back in 2007. The team still has “a big part of my heart,” he said, and was happy to see them win again. The Woking-based crew’s last F1 victory was with Daniel Ricciardo at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.
Before doing post-race interviews, it’s traditional for drivers to chat with their team briefly, crew members patting them on the helmet or back. Norris, though, launched himself over the barrier in joy, McLaren crew members equally as happy to embrace their new race winner. The emotion was overflowing.
A memory that will last a lifetime! 🧡#MiamiGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/N1t0dc7orD
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) May 5, 2024
“I’m just really happy for Lando. As much as we all want to beat each other and to come out on top, it’s always emotional to see so many emotions in one of your competitors,” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc said. “We have all grown up together. I remember looking at Lando when he was in KF3, and we all had this same dream of being a Formula One driver someday.”
Norris is no a stranger to hate, memes and nicknames like “Lando No Wins” popping up on social media as people discuss his record. But the Briton says the words from those closest to him hold more meaning, and thanked his competitors for their praise and support. In parc ferme and the media pen, different drivers embraced Norris, congratulating him on this moment he’ll likely remember forever.
“As much as when you put the helmet on, you hate them, and you want to beat them, and you don’t care who’s who, I’ve always had respect for the people I’ve raced against. So when anyone comes up [to me], especially people who have achieved a lot, because it always means a little bit more,” Norris said. “So when Lewis, Fernando, Max, Charles, Carlos, whenever they come up to you or people have good words for you, I appreciate those things a lot. Because from these people, it means something. Maybe from others, it doesn’t.
“From these people, they’re the people who know what it takes to achieve these types of things for the work, the time, the effort that goes into doing something like this.”
(Lead photo of Lando Norris and George Russell: Giorgio Viera / AFP)
Sports
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza wins 2025 Heisman Trophy
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious award.
Mendoza claimed 2,392 first-place votes, beating Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 votes), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 votes) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 votes).
Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a nation-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores.
Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl Jan. 1.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza runs off the field after a game against Wisconsin Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Ind (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP.
A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. The trophy was established in 1935.
NO 2 INDIANA CAPS OFF COMEBACK WIN OVER PENN STATE WITH SENSATIONAL TOUCHDOWN, KEEPS UNDEFEATED SEASON ALIVE
Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top 10 finish in Heisman balloting, and it marks another first in program history. It now has had players in the top 10 of Heisman voting in back-to-back years. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.
Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years. Travis Hunter of Colorado, who played wide receiver and cornerback, won last season.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws before a game against Wisconsin Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mendoza was named The Associated Press Player of the Year earlier this week and picked up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night while Love won the Doak Walker Award.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Prep talk: The Shaws enjoy a memorable basketball moment at Oak Park
Sometimes it can be difficult when a high school coach also has his son on the team, but then there are those unforgettable moments that make every second spent together magical. Such a moment happened on Friday night for Oak Park basketball coach Aaron Shaw and his son, sophomore guard Grant Shaw.
Grant made a three-pointer from beyond the top of the key as the buzzer sounded to give host Oak Park a 54-51 win over rival Agoura.
Then, for some unknown reason at the time, Grant ran in the opposite direction, followed by his teammates and delirious Oak Park fans. There were so many people celebrating he ended up pushed into the gym foyer.
Watching from the bench was his father, who didn’t understand why his son was headed out of the gym. “The coaches were asking, ‘Where is he going?’” he said.
It turns out the surge of people celebrating forced Grant into the foyer. His father reminded him afterward to perhaps next time stay in the gym.
But make no mistake about, Aaron has won two Southern Section titles as a coach, and this moment ranks up among the best.
“Proud dad moment,” he said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
Navy tops Army with late touchdown as Trump’s attendance in Baltimore sparks protests
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
For the second year in a row, the Navy Midshipmen have won the Commander-in-Chief Trophy.
The Midshipmen earned a gutsy 17-16 victory over Army in one of the greatest rivalries in sports.
Navy got out to a scorching-hot start, as they scored a touchdown on their first drive, with Blake Horvath rushing for 45 of the 75 yards on the drive and running in for the score. He also had an 11-yard pass.
President Donald Trump greets players after the coin toss and before the start of the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium, Saturday, in Baltimore, Md. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Army, though, answered right back with an identical drive, going 13 plays for 75 yards — this one ended with Cale Hellums punching one in.
Navy’s offense was stalled for a long while after, as their next three drives ended in a punt, fumble, and interception. In the meantime, the Black Knights were able to tack on three more field goals to go up, 16-7. Late in the third, the Midshipmen finally added more points on the scoreboard with a field goal that cut their deficit to three.
Early in the fourth, Navy forced an Army interception. Navy had the ball at the goal line but fumbled on a quarterback sneak, losing seven yards. Horvath hit Eli Heidenrich in the end zone, though, and the ensuing kick gave the Midshipmen their first lead since the first drive of the game.
Navy promptly forced a three-and-out and got the ball back with less than five minutes to go. Navy lost a fumble when trying for a first down that would have iced the game, but the play was reviewed, and the call was reversed. Thus, Navy had a fourth-and-1 and kept the offense on the field. They got the first down that iced the game.
US President Donald Trump tosses a coin before the college football game between the US Army and Navy in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Alex Wroblewski / AFP via Getty Images)
CHICAGO RADIO HOST RIPS CUBS PLAYER FOR TURNING POINT EVENT ATTENDANCE, LIKENS IT TO ‘NAZI-ADJACENT PEP RALLY’
With the win, Navy earned the Commander-in-Chief trophy by also defeating Air Force earlier in the year.
The game was its usual old-school ground-and-pound style of football, as there were only 24 pass attempts compared to 86 runs.
President Donald Trump attended the game for the seventh time, and his second in as many years since being elected again. Trump participated in the coin flip, but not before protesters wielded lewd signs opposing Trump on the street leading up to the stadium.
Protests were expected for the game in the blue city, as Trump has suggested sending the National Guard to Baltimore to help address the city’s rampant crime. Baltimore consistently ranks among U.S. cities with high crime rates, often appearing in the top 5 for violent crimes, especially homicides and robberies.
U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd-L) walks onto the field for the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen on Dec. 13, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. The teams are competing for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, with President Trump attending the rivalry for the second consecutive year. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The protests against Trump also come on the same day that officials said two U.S. Army soldiers and a U.S. interpreter were killed in an ambush attack in Syria.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
-
Alaska1 week agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Texas1 week agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington5 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
World7 days ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
-
Iowa1 day agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals