{"id":789893,"date":"2026-07-09T20:20:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T20:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/789893\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T20:20:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T20:20:15","slug":"how-george-norris-became-formula-1s-tiniest-team-principal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/789893\/","title":{"rendered":"How George Norris became Formula 1\u2019s tiniest team principal"},"content":{"rendered":"

George Norris may only be eight years old, but he already knows exactly what it takes to lead a racing team.<\/p>\n

The young Formula 1 fan has been named the UK\u2019s first-ever Hot Wheels Tiniest Team Principal after impressing judges including 2009 world champion Jenson Button and F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali with his creativity, racing knowledge and passion for the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t stop smiling!\u201d George said when he found out he had won. \u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

@ryan.norris02<\/a> #hotwheelstiniestteam<\/a> #contest<\/a> George\u2019s entry for Hot Wheels Tiniest Team Principal 2026 \ud83c\udfce\ufe0f \ud83c\udfc1Can you spot the Jenson Button Easter egg? \ud83d\udc40 @Hot Wheels \u266c original sound – Ryan Norris<\/a> <\/p>\n

The competition, which launched in May, invited young fans aged five to 10 to show why they had what it took to be the Tiniest Team Principal, with entries judged on imagination, engineering skills and a love of racing.<\/p>\n

Ted Wu, general manager and global head of vehicles and building sets at Mattel, said George stood out immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we launched the search for our first Hot Wheels Tiniest Team Principal, we were looking for a kid who wasn\u2019t afraid to think big, make bold decisions and bring plenty of imagination to the world of racing,\u201d Wu said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorge captured all of that from the moment we saw his entry. His passion, creativity and confidence made him a standout, and we can\u2019t wait to see him step into the role and experience F1 and Hot Wheels from the inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"George at the 2026 British Grand Prix<\/p>\n

Selected from entries from around the world, George earned the chance to step into the role and experience F1 as a VIP. His prize included a trip to Silverstone, where he met drivers and team principals, explored the paddock and got a glimpse of what it takes to run a team at the highest level of motorsport.<\/p>\n

According to his dad, Ryan, George has been obsessed with both Hot Wheels and F1 since he was three years old, building tracks, racing toy cars and following the sport whenever he could.<\/p>\n

\u201cI absolutely love Hot Wheels because you can build really fast tracks and race all of your cars on them,\u201d George said. \u201cAt the same time, I\u2019m obsessed with F1, it\u2019s just so exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

The competition win gave George the opportunity to attend his first F1 race weekend ever at Silverstone, where he met lots of famous faces from across the paddock.<\/p>\n

\"\"George and his brother meeting Lando Norris<\/p>\n

Among the highlights was meeting McLaren driver Lando Norris and team principal Andrea Stella.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met so many drivers and team principals during the weekend but Andrea and Lando were the best,\u201d George told The Race. \u201cI love McLaren. My second name is Norris, so it was great to meet Lando.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just amazing to see his car up close and Andrea was kind to take his time to show me and my family around the McLaren garage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"George and McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella<\/p>\n

But despite all the glitz and glam of the Paddock, it was the race itself that stood out as the highlight of the weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favourite part of the weekend was probably the race,\u201d George said. \u201cIt was very exciting. It\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve been to a Grand Prix in real life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back home, news of George\u2019s victory quickly spread through the school.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy teachers showed my Hot Wheels video to the class,\u201d George said. \u201cThey were shocked and also happy. My classmates couldn\u2019t stop asking me questions for two days!\u201d<\/p>\n

However, his time as the Tiniest Team Principal has only just begun. As part of his prize, George will travel with his family to California later this year to work with Hot Wheels designers to create a one-of-a-kind Hot Wheels F1 car.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ryan said: \u201cThe experience has been so special. He\u2019s loved every minute of his time at Silverstone and can\u2019t wait to visit Hot Wheels in California. I know he will have plenty of ideas on car liveries to share.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re grateful to Hot Wheels for the chance to be part of something so memorable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Silverstone is over, George’s role is far from over. However, that\u2019s all in a day\u2019s work for F1\u2019s tiniest team principal.<\/p>\n