Lando Norris faces public vote in bid to match F1 legends with ultimate prize

Lando Norris can become the sixth Formula 1 world champion to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, if he is victorious in tonight's vote.

The newly-crowned champion is up against Masters and Ryder Cup winning golfer Rory McIlroy, darts world champion Luke Littler, England Women rugby union star Ellie Kildunne and England Women's footballers Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly in the public vote, scheduled for Thursday evening in the UK. 

The award is open to any athlete from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and has been awarded annually since 1954. 

To date, five F1 world champions have won the award, with Jackie Stewart the first in 1973, before Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, and Lewis Hamilton added two wins each. 

In 1959, John Surtees won the award, but this was for his motorcycle world championships that year, five years before he became F1 champion in 1964. 

The first F1 driver to win the award overall came in 1961 when Stirling Moss - regarded as the greatest driver never to win the title - was victorious.

Overall, F1 is the second most successful sport in terms of outright wins at SPOTY, with eight, only behind athletics on 19. 

Hamilton is the single-most decorated athlete in SPOTY history, with a total of six top-three placings with two wins (2014, 2020) and four second places in 2007, 2008, 2018, and 2019.

Only Tennis great Andy Murray has enjoyed more overall wins than Hamilton, with Murray scooping the award in 2013, 2015, and 2016, and becoming the only person to ever retain the award with the latter two wins.