F1 TV briefly called Lando Norris the 2026 Formula 1 Champion during Friday’s pre-season testing in Bahrain, sparking memes and fan excitement online.
The broadcast graphics mistakenly labeled Norris—who won his first title in 2025—as the new champion. Screenshots spread quickly before the error was corrected. Fans created hashtags like #LN1B2B joking about a back-to-back title.
Norris, driving McLaren’s updated MCL40, laughed off the glitch. “It’s just a glitch—funny one, though,” he said. He topped Thursday’s timesheet with a lap of 1:33.453, ahead of Max Verstappen and George Russell, showing strong pace under the new 2026 regulations.
McLaren has impressed in early testing, with both Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri completing solid mileage. Analysts see the glitch as a playful hint at McLaren’s potential after their breakthrough 2025 season.
The technical hiccup caused no disruption on track. F1 TV quickly fixed the graphics, and neither Formula 1 nor the broadcaster has commented on the cause.
With testing finishing in Bahrain, teams now focus on Melbourne, where the 2026 championship starts March 6-8. The brief “coronation” of Norris has added extra buzz for the new season.
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