Norris seals his first F1 title, Britain's first since Hamilton
Norris seals his first F1 title, Britain's first since Hamilton
Lando Norris clinches his maiden F1 world championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging Verstappen by two points as McLaren ends the season on a high.
Lando Norris secured his maiden Formula 1 world championship at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing third as Max Verstappen took the race win. Norris edged Verstappen by two points in the final standings, with Oscar Piastri finishing second in the race and third in the championship, marking a surprising and strong McLaren showing.
Norris, 26, becomes Britain's first F1 world champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2020. The title race had Norris leading Verstappen by 12 points and Piastri by 16 entering the final race, with Verstappen needing Norris to finish fourth or lower and Piastri needing a win with Norris outside the top five; the Abu Dhabi results delivered Norris the crown.
Despite earlier strategic missteps by McLaren, Verstappen produced a late-season surge, winning eight races this season, but Norris’s steady climb was enough to secure the championship.
After the checkered flag, McLaren chief executive Zak Brown joined the celebrations on the pit wall, and Norris, overcome with emotion, embraced his parents and teammates. Piastri, while disappointed, credited Norris and the team for a year that ended on a high note for McLaren.
The victory is a historic moment for Britain and for McLaren, as Norris becomes the first British driver to win the F1 title since Hamilton in 2020. His rise, heavily covered in the junior categories, has long been seen as destined for the sport’s pinnacle.
In Abu Dhabi, Verstappen started on pole with Norris beside him and Piastri third, setting the stage for a tightly contested finale that underscored the depth of talent in the new generation of F1 stars.
Cover image source: Lando Norris crowned Formula One world champion 🔗
