At the Laureus World Sports Awards, Max Verstappen was named Sportsman of the Year and McLaren received a nomination in the Team of the Year category.
Verstappen was already crowned in 2022 when he won the prestigious award as a two-time F1 world champion. However, this year he faces serious competition, with tennis player Carlos Alcaraz and two-time Olympic pole vaulter Armand Duplantis also among the nominees.
This is not F1's only connection with Laureus, as the placings of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri last year meant McLaren won the F1 Constructors' World Championship for the first time since 1998. The achievement also earned a nomination, but the opponents are no amateurs, as the Spanish national football team, Real Madrid players, the NBA's Boston Celtics and the US men's basketball team are all vying for the title.
McLaren will have a much tougher task of winning, as the last Formula 1 team to win the award was in 2018 after four consecutive Constructors' titles. I don't think I need to introduce them. April 21, 2025 will show whether Norris and his team can follow in Mercedes' footsteps.
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