In the ruthless, high-octane theater of Formula 1, becoming a World Champion is the ultimate validation. It is the summit of a mountain that thousands attempt to climb, but only a select few ever reach. It grants immortality. It etches a name onto the trophy alongside Fangio, Senna, and Prost.

However, as history—and the internet—likes to remind us, not all World Champions are created equal. There are those who transcend the sport to become gods, those who dominate eras through sheer force of will, and those who, in the harsh eyes of the critics, simply found themselves in the right car at the right time.

Following the conclusion of a breathless, chaotic, and historic 2025 season, a new “Tier List” of 21st-century champions has emerged. It ranks the nine men who have lifted the crown since the year 2000: Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Max Verstappen, and the sport’s newest monarch, Lando Norris.

The list has sparked a firestorm of debate, primarily for one reason: Lando Norris, despite dethroning the mighty Max Verstappen, has been categorized in “Tier C”—the lowest tier of champions.

The “S-Tier”: The Gods of the Grid

To understand why Norris is ranked where he is, one must first look at the titans casting the shadow. The “S-Tier,” often referred to as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) tier, is reserved for two names: Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

These two are the benchmarks against which all others are measured. Schumacher’s inclusion is non-negotiable. With seven titles, he didn’t just drive for Ferrari; he rebuilt the team from the ashes, turning them into a juggernaut that suffocated the sport in the early 2000s. His ability to drive a car beyond its physical limits—most notably dragging the 1996 Ferrari to three wins—remains the gold standard of driver input.

Sitting directly beside him is Lewis Hamilton. Also a seven-time champion, Hamilton’s legacy is defined by relentless consistency and adaptability. Whether it was his explosive rookie season in 2007, his underdog triumph in 2008, or his imperial phase with Mercedes, Hamilton proved he could win in any condition, against any rival. He is the statistical king, and his longevity at the peak of the sport is unparalleled.

The Max Verstappen Anomaly

Then there is Max Verstappen. The Dutchman sits in a unique “S-Tier” of his own—a tier of pure, unadulterated speed that perhaps lacks the longevity of the top two, but rivals them in peak performance.

The 2025 season was a defining moment for Verstappen’s legacy, strangely because he lost. After a tumultuous start to the year involving the departure of team boss Christian Horner and the arrival of Laurent Mekies to a crumbling Red Bull structure, Verstappen found himself 104 points behind Norris with just 10 races to go.

What followed was arguably the greatest driving display in history. Verstappen went on a rampage, clawing back points with a ferocity that terrified McLaren. He took the title fight down to the final lap of the final race, losing by a heartbreaking 2 points.

Paradoxically, losing the 2025 title might have done more for Verstappen’s reputation than winning it would have. It proved he doesn’t need the best car to be the best driver. He dragged a recovering Red Bull to the precipice of glory, cementing his status as a “monster” of the sport, even without the trophy.

The “A-Tier”: Flawed Geniuses

Below the gods sit the “A-Tier” legends: Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, and Kimi Raikkonen.

Alonso is the anomaly of statistics. With “only” two titles (2005, 2006), the numbers don’t tell the full story. He is widely regarding as the most complete driver of his generation, a man who dragged tractors like the 2012 Ferrari into title contention. He ended the Schumacher era, and at 44 years old, remains a benchmark for race craft.

Vettel, with his four consecutive titles, dominated the early 2010s with a finger-wagging swagger. While his later years at Ferrari and Aston Martin saw a dip in form, his peak was untouchable. Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, enters this tier on raw talent alone. The “Iceman” didn’t play politics; he just drove faster than everyone else, stealing the title from the McLaren civil war of 2007.

The Controversy: Lando Norris and the “C-Tier”

This brings us to the eye of the storm: the “Tier C” champions. This group consists of Jenson Button (2009), Nico Rosberg (2016), and now, Lando Norris (2025).

Why is the newest champion ranked so low?

The criticism of Lando Norris stems from the manner of his victory. Throughout 2025, McLaren possessed a car that was historically dominant—a machine in a league of its own, much like the Brawn GP of 2009 or the Mercedes of 2016. In a car that fast, the championship should have been wrapped up with three or four races to spare.

Instead, Norris stumbled. The analysis highlights a recurring theme in the first half of the season: “cracking under pressure.” He lost race wins to poor starts, strategic hesitation, and unforced errors. He allowed his teammate, Oscar Piastri, to take points off him. He allowed a faltering Red Bull to stay in the game.

The fact that Verstappen was able to close a 104-point gap is seen not just as a testament to Max’s brilliance, but as an indictment of Lando’s fragility. Norris won the title, yes, but he limped across the line, surviving on the massive points buffer he built when the Red Bull was at its weakest.

Critics argue that Norris lacks the “killer instinct” of a Schumacher or a Verstappen. He is compared to Jenson Button—a smooth, likeable driver who maximized a unique technical advantage (the Double Diffuser) but was never considered the outright fastest man on the grid. He is compared to Nico Rosberg—a driver who needed to push himself to the absolute limit of mental and physical destruction just to beat Hamilton once, and then immediately retired.

Is the “Paper Champion” Label Fair?

To label Norris a “Paper Champion” is harsh, but in the context of the all-time greats, scrutiny is inevitable.

However, there is a counter-argument. Winning a world championship changes a driver. Jenson Button is the perfect example. After his “Tier C” win in 2009, he moved to McLaren to partner Lewis Hamilton. Many expected him to be destroyed. Instead, Button drove the best races of his life from 2010 to 2012, proving that the confidence of a title can unlock a new level of performance.

Lando Norris now stands at that same crossroads. He has the trophy. He has beaten Max Verstappen over a full season—something no one else had done for half a decade. He survived the pressure cooker of a title decider, holding his nerve when it mattered most in Abu Dhabi.

The “Tier C” ranking reflects his 2025 performance relative to the machinery he had. It says: You won, but you made it look harder than it should have been.

The 2026 Redemption Arc

As we look toward the 2026 season, Lando Norris has a point to prove. The narrative has shifted. He is no longer the underdog; he is the man to beat. But he is also a champion demanding respect.

With Red Bull revitalized under Laurent Mekies and Verstappen hungry for revenge, Norris will not have the luxury of a 104-point head start again. To move from “Tier C” to “Tier A,” he must do what Button did: evolve. He must show that 2025 wasn’t just a result of the car, but the beginning of an era.

For now, Lando Norris sits at the bottom of the list of legends. But as any F1 driver will tell you: the view from the bottom of the “Champions Club” is still better than the view from the top of the midfield. He has the trophy. Now, he needs to build the legacy.