At the Laureus Sports Awards, Max Verstappen was named Sportsman of the Year, and the McLaren team received a nomination in the Team of the Year category.
Verstappen was already crowned in 2022, winning this prestigious award as a two-time F1 world champion. However, this year the Red Bull driver will have to face some stiff competition, with tennis player Carlos Alcaraz and pole vaulter and two-time Olympic champion Armand Duplantis also among the nominees.
It's not the only F1 connection with the Laureus, as the breakthrough of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri last year meant McLaren secured the F1 Constructors' Championship title for the first time since 1998. This success also earned a nomination, but the opponents here are no small feat either, with the Spanish national football team, Real Madrid, the Boston Celtics NBA team, and the Team USA men's basketball team all battling it out for the title.
For McLaren, achieving victory will be a much tougher challenge, as the last Formula 1 team to receive this recognition was in 2018, after winning four consecutive constructors' titles. I don't think I need an introduction. Whether Norris's team can follow in Mercedes' footsteps will be revealed on April 21, 2025.
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