Toto Wolff? Fred Vasseur? No, no – the British Grand Prix saw a new Team Principal overshadow all the established men on the Formula 1 pit wall – eight-year-old George Norris!
Toy manufacturer Mattel launched the Hot Wheels Tiniest Team Principal competition to celebrate the next generation of F1 fans, giving children the chance to step into one of motorsport’s most exciting leadership roles.
And it was Norris who impressed judges, including 2009 champion Jenson Button and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, to become the UK’s winner of the inaugural competition.
His winning video showed his creativity, racing knowledge, and passion for F1, and when he found out he was the winner, Norris revealed he “couldn’t stop smiling.”
“I didn’t think I’d win it because it was a very difficult competition. I spent days planning and designing my video, so I was very shocked. The competition was amazing and lots of people made really good videos.”
Ted Wu, General Manager and Global Head of Vehicles and Building Sets at Mattel said that George was a standout. Wu was also part of the judging panel, as well as Hot Wheels designer Kristina Albrecht.
“When we launched the search for our first Hot Wheels Tiniest Team Principal, we were looking for a kid who wasn’t afraid to think big, make bold decisions and bring plenty of imagination to the world of racing. George captured all of that from the moment we saw his entry.
“His passion, creativity and confidence made him a standout, and we can’t wait to see him step into the role and experience Formula 1 and Hot Wheels from the inside. The future of racing is in great hands.”
George’s Silverstone VIP experience
His prize included a trip to Silverstone, where he explored the F1 paddock and met drivers and Team Principals with his family. George’s dad, Ryan Norris, said that George has been a Hot Wheels and F1 ‘super fan’ since he was just three years old.
He said: “I absolutely love Hot Wheels because you can build really fast tracks and race all of your cars on them. At the same time, I’m obsessed with F1. It’s just so exciting.”
Norris continued: “I met so many drivers and team principals during the weekend but Andrea [Stella] and Lando [Norris] were the best. I love McLaren. My second name is Norris, so it was great to meet Lando.”
Despite the excitement of the paddock, George said the race itself was the highlight of his experience.
“My favourite part of the weekend was probably the race. It was very exciting. It’s the first time I’ve been to a Grand Prix in real life.”
Silverstone might be over, but George’s work as Tiniest Team Principal is not. He will also travel to California with his family later this year to work with Hot Wheels to create his own Hot Wheels F1 car.
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